Munich Six Day cancelled for 2010

by VeloNation Press at 12:45 PM EST

Organizers of the Munich Six Day race say the event for 2010 has been cancelled due to lack of crowds. The cancellation of the 46-year-old event is a huge blow to German Six Day racing. During the event last year organizers feared the further drop in crowds would bring an end to the event.

"We could not find a way of bringing this event back on track," said organiser Ralph Huber.

"And we could not find another agency to take on the event in 2010," he added, "so the decision is final."

Last year 52,000 fans visited Munich's indoor Olympic Stadium for the event which was 12,000 down on what was predicted and 8,500 less than the previous year.

The Dortmund Six Day, one of the oldest in the country, announced last year that it would be cancelled due to financial problems. The race had a 300,000 euro shortfall in its budget.

At the time Westfalenhallen velodrome director Jochen Meschke said it was a difficult decision, telling dpa, "We hoped to lessen the financial shortfall, but the difference was too great."

Rewind to 2008, and the Stuttgart Six Day folded because of issues with securing sponsorship due to the ongoing doping problems in cycling. Race organizer Andreas Kroll told the Associated Press, "professional cycling has an enormous image problem that we simply cannot offset at this point in time," citing German rider Stefan Schumacher, who tested positive for CERA when his blood samples from the 2008 Tour de France were retroactively tested.

This leaves Germany with just two Six Day races for the 2010/11 season, Bremen and Berlin.

With the UCI's biological passport program giving the fight against doping momentum, the countries hit hardest by doping scandals, like Germany, will hopefully bounce back and once again gain confidence and interest in the sport.

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