Former double Olympic champion Robert Bartko (Germany) and former world points champion and winner of last week's Rotterdam Six, Peter Schep (Holland) had too much horsepower for the rest of the field in the finale of the 48th edition of the Six Days of Bremen, late on Tuesday evening.
The duo were behind on points to Zurich winner Franco Marvulli (Switzerland) paired with unfancied home rider Marcel Kalz going in to the final 20 laps, but a huge attack from Schep saw the winning duo make the vital lap gain with seven circuits of the 166 metre laminated board track still to ride.
In third spot was 'man of the winter' Iljo Keisse (Belgium) paired with Leif Lampater (Germany).
Schep praised the German fans who had readily accepted him as a partner for local hero Bartko, who won here last year with Robert Bengsch. “I want to thank the crowd, they were terrific in the last chase, giving us the support we needed to gain the winning lap,” he said.
The winning combination at 36 for Bartko and 34 for Schep had the oldest combined age of any of the teams on the boards; they have ridden 70 and 49 six days respectively, the German winning 20 and the Dutchman four.
Marvulli again found himself in the runner up spot after taking the same position in Rotterdam.
Many were surprised by the four times world champion's pairing with unheralded Kalz, but Marvulli explained why it was a good thing. “I actually asked to be paired with Marcel, I could see he had a lot of potential but lacked self belief,” he said.
“I worked on his confidence and you can see that it paid off, with our dominance in the time trials and final podium position.”
Unusual for a six day race was the presence of American riders Brad Huff (Jelly Belly) and Jackie Simes (Janis).
Simes is the son of 60's and 70's American Worlds kilometre medallist and six day rider Jack Simes.
The two played supporting roles but didn't disgrace themselves on what most agree is the most technical of all the winter tracks.
The six day circus decamps for Berlin next week before bringing the curtain down on the season in Copenhagen in early February.
Bremen Six Day, final standings:
1, Peter Schep/Robert Bartko (SWB) 293 pts
2, Franco Marvulli/Marcel Kalz (ÖVB) 318, at 1lap
3, Leif Lampater/Iljo Keisse (Sparkasse Bremen) 291
4, Marc Hester/Andreas Müller (Big Cash-Moneymaker) 214, at 2laps
5, Alois Kankovsky/Robert Bengsch (Eisbären Bremerhaven) 221, at 8laps
6, Danny Stam/Erik Mohs (Schmidt + Koch / Skoda) 176
7, Milan Kadlec/Marcel Barth (Germania) 182, at 11laps
8, Christian Grasmann/Rafal Ratajczyk (Becker + Brügesch) 112, at 12laps
9, Jesper Morkov/Tino Thömel (Weser Kurier) 105, at 19laps
10, Jack Simes/Theo Reinhardt (Lotto Bremen) 88, at 28laps
11, Benjamin Edmüller/Roy Pieters (Klaus Lorenz) 60
12, Brad Huff/Ralf Matzka (Radio Bremen) 102, at 29laps