The 2024 edition of the famous track event, the Ghent Six, kicks off this week, with World Road champions Lotte Copecky and twice reigning Ghent Six champions Lindsay de Wilder and Rob Geese headlining at the Quip Keverodrome. From 11/12 (Tue) to 11/17 (Sun) for 6 days, De Vylder and Ghys are aiming to be the first pair of riders to win for 3 consecutive years. Ghys, on the other hand, has won all editions since 2019, so we're moving towards our 5th personal victory.

"We are not the top favorites," de Wilder told Sporza before the event, which will be held for the 83rd time this year. "In the last few weeks I've made sure my World Cup form is still there during training. I really look forward to riding in Ghent in this state.

"We will not be given a victory this year, but we will give it a good fight. I hope 3 rows are possible for me. For Lobbe, it can even be 5 rows."

Podium finishers for 2023 Yoeri Havik, Jan-Willem van Schip, Fabio Van den Bossche and Jules Hesters will race in a different pair than last year, but this time they will also do all the fights.

Van den Bosch will partner with Cofidis racer Frenchman Benjamin Thomas, who became Olympic champion at omnium this year.

"In the last few years, Fabio van den Bosch has made it difficult for us and, along with Benjamin Thomas, he has teammates a bit 'out of the league'," De Vylder said.

"Thomas is an Olympic, world and European champion. He's just about the best track cyclist of our generation. Therefore, they are top favorites.

"I also see Jules Hester. He has a great partner at Aaron Gate. The guy is adored by the truck. And there are so many big names that you can't write down Yoeri Havik, like Roger Kluge."

Ghys is now a level of continuous victory with track legend Patrick Sercu, who won Gent Six in a row in the 1970s. The Belgian, who regularly raced with Eddie Merck, is the Ghent Six record holder with 11 career victories.

Kopecky finished this season as a top-ranked female racer who won the World, Paris Roubaix, Strad Bianche and Tour of Britain.

Belgium is a world, European and national champion in multiple fields on the track and will be one of the top favorites for the glory of Ghent. She will face Hélène Hesters and Lani Wittevrongel in addition to European U23 Madison champion Katrijn De Clercq and Olympic Madison bronze medalist Lisa van Belle.