cycling: 6-day race in Copenhagen: Robert Bartko ends his career with a win

Robert Bartko (LKT Team Brandenburg) announced his retirement from active racing a week ago. At the edge of the 6-day race in Berlin, he moved many spectators to tears. For himself, however, his career ended on a high. After finishing third overall in the capital's velodrome, the man from Brandenburg secured victory in the 6-day race in Copenhagen together with Marcel Kalz (Rudy Project Racing Team) from Berlin.

“Robert was incredibly motivated in his last race. Of course, that spurred me on even more.”

The latter was not allowed to start in Berlin and was therefore all the more motivated in the Danish capital. But first it was Leif Lampater who set the pace, as he did at the 6-day races in Berlin and Bremen. Already after the first night he took the lead with his Danish partner Marc Hester. After the second and third night, the local heroes Alex Rasmussen and Michael Morkov took over the top position in the overall standings, but they had to give it back to Lampater and Hester. Always within striking distance: Marcel Kalz and Robert Bartko. And then in the last hunt they struck. A late attack led to a round win and victory after a hard fight.

“Robert was incredibly motivated in his last race. That, of course, spurred me on even more,” said Kalz. The thrilling final chase provided the perfect backdrop for the subsequent emotions. “I’m overjoyed that we won. It was an honor to ride alongside Robert ,” the Berlin native continued. Bartko, the two-time Olympic champion from Sydney, celebrated his 21st six-day victory in Copenhagen. For Kalz, it was his second win.