Title defenders Robbe Ghys and Lindsay De Vylder go top of the leaderboard after the second night. Fabio Van den Bossche and Jules Hesters follow in the same lap with 15 points. The numbers three, Yoeri Havik/Jan-Willem van Schip, are also still in the third lap, but have already amassed 99 points and are close to a bonus lap.
The first points race of the evening went to German Tim Torn Teutenberg. In the second points race, Jan-Willem Van Schip returned after his crash on Tuesday and won convincingly. In the subsequent team elimination, Van Schip celebrated with Yoeri Havik once again. The fourth event of the evening was followed by the track lap time trial. Robbe Ghys and Lindsay De Vylder lived up to their role as favourites and clocked off in 8.434.
The first Madison of the evening turned into a titanic battle between Belgian pairs Ghys/De Vylder and Fabio Van den Bossche/Jules Hesters. In the sprint, Van den Bossche was the strongest, ‘t Kuipke went completely crazy.
After the break, the Dernies made their traditional entry onto the track. Robbe Ghys and Tuur Dens took full advantage of the wake of their pacers and took the win. In between, Dane Mathias Malmberg grabbed the individual pursuit.
New track record
As on day one, the devil was in the detail. After a thrilled Lasse Norman Hansen won the Scratch race, Noah Vandenbranden and Tuur Dens set a packed Kuipke on fire. In the 500-metre time trial, they shaved off ten hundredths off their best time from Tuesday. A new track record: 23.368, good for an average speed of 68.265 kilometres per hour. Can the duo dip below that on Thursday?
In the concluding Madison, the teams at the top of the leaderboard held back a bit. The Dutch duo Philip Heijnen/Vincent Hoppezak took full advantage and took victory.
The three teams in the leaderboard after two days are still in the same round. Defending Champions Ghys and De Vylder lead by 123 points ahead of Van den Bossche and Hesters (108 points). In third place are World Champions Havik/van Schip. The Dutch gathered 99 points and are close to a bonus round. At one lap are Dutchmen Vincent Hoppezak with Philip Heijnen (97 points), Dane Matias Malmberg with New Zealander Aaron Gate (64 points) and German European Champions Roger Kluge with Theo Reinhardt (33 points). The rest of the competitors follow closely at two or more laps.
Leaderboard after 2 days:
1. Robbe Ghys (Bel)/Lindsay De Vylder (Bel) 123 points
2. Fabio Van Den Bossche (Bel)/Jules Hesters (Bel) 108
3. Yoeri Havik (Ned)/Jan-Willem van Schip (Ned) 99
At 1 lap:
4. Vincent Hoppezak (Ned)/Philip Heijnen (Ned) 97
5. Matias Malmberg (Den)/Aaron Gate (NZe) 64
6. Roger Kluge (Ger)/Theo Reinhardt (Ger) 33
At 2 laps:
7. Oscar Nilsson-Julien (Fra)/Valentin Tabellion (Fra) 63
At 3 laps:
8. Noah Vandenbranden (Bel) /Tuur Dens (Bel) 88
9. Gianluca Pollefliet (Bel)/Tim Torn Teutenberg (Ger) 82
At 5 laps:
10. Mark Stewart (GBr)/Oliver Wood (GB) 9
At 8 laps:
11. Jonas Rickaert (Bel)/Lasse Norman Hansen (Den) 44
At 14 laps:
12. Milan Van Den Haute/Michele Scartezzini (Ita) 20
