Until now, Kenny De Ketele and Jasper de Buyst have dominated the Six-Days of Ghent. Both are chasing their second win in Gent after De Ketele (29) won in 2011 and de Buyst (20) won last year. "Jasper uses his head a bit more and so he will be even better," says De Ketele.
Kenny de Ketele and Jasper de Buyst ended the second day as the leaders.
"For now, everything goes well," De Ketele told Sporza. "We will have to do a lot of defensive work because the others are constantly lurking in the madisons."
De Ketele immediately explains whom he is referring to.
"Our main challengers are known. Keisse and Cavendish are going to improve every day, and Dillier and Lampater make a very good impression, like the Danes Hester and Rasmussen. They are very fast and can take a lap very quickly. It is always dangerous to lose sight of a team."
De Buyst is a dream partner for the Ketele.
"Without any exaggeration, I can say that Jasper is one of the best track riders in the world in the world at the moment. Last year he was always on the podium in the Olympic omnium discipline that crowns the most versatile rider, and he won the World Cup. He has a good endurance and a quick sprint. With such a rider, everything is good.
"In recent years I had a good partner in Gijs Van Hoecke. But Jasper has more pure speed. Like in football, I see myself as the player with the assists. I'm not the man of the incredible sprints. Jasper knows my value and appreciates it. I'll always keep going and am very reliable. He knows he can exceed his own limits for a while and can fall back on me. We are a lovely pair and complement each other well."
De Buyst still doesn't have De Ketele's experience.
"Sometimes I have to holdJasper back. But I prefer someone who I have to ask to take it easy instead of having to encourage him to attack.
"Jasper is often spontaneous. Last year I thought "Wow, he can't keep that up for six days", but he did it. Now he thinks he can handle it for six days again. But he has already learned things. He uses his head more more and that will only make him better."
The two do plan to still keep something in reserve.
"Cavendish will get used to the track and Keisse, who is no longer the track rider he once was, also needs some more time. These guys will improve but there is also a bit of room for us."
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