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1976 Six Days of Antwerp - Antwerpse Zesdaagse - Winners Merckx & Sercu
1976 Six Days of Antwerp - Antwerpse Zesdaagse - Winners Merckx & Sercu - Image 2
1976 Six Days of Antwerp - Antwerpse Zesdaagse - Winners Merckx & Sercu - Image 3
1976 Six Days of Antwerp - Antwerpse Zesdaagse - Winners Merckx & Sercu - Image 4
1976 Six Days of Antwerp - Antwerpse Zesdaagse - Winners Merckx & Sercu - Image 5

1976 Six Days of Antwerp – Antwerpse Zesdaagse – Winners Merckx & Sercu

$380.00

Antwerpse Zesdaagse – Six Days of Antwerp
February 6-12, 1976, held at the Sportspaleis, Antwerp, Belgium
Race Winners – the Belgian super duo of Eddy Merckx & Patrick Sercu

This original poster promotes the 1976 Antwerpse Zesdaagse, the Antwerp Six Day track race held in the Sportpaleis from February 6th -12th 1976. The design is a masterclass in seventies graphic design. The lower two-thirds of the sheet is given over to a large, stylised image of racing cyclists. Against a pink to deep violet halftone gradient, a leading rider is rendered as a clean white silhouette, followed by overlapping pink and purple figures that suggest speed, motion, and the relay rhythm of Six-day racing.

The Antwerpse Zesdaagse was part of the classic European Six-day circuit, where two-man teams raced on the track for six consecutive evenings, combining Madison events with time trials and derny races. The 1976 edition  was won by the Belgian super duo Patrick Sercu and Eddy Merckx. Sercu, an Olympic kilometre time trial champion in 1964 and a multiple world champion on the track, holds the all-time record for six-day victories with 88 wins. Merckx, already a five-time Tour de France winner by the mid 1970s, is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most successful cyclists in history, with 525 career victories across road and track. Together they dominated several six-day events during this period, and Antwerp 1976 was one of the highlights of their partnership.

For collectors, this poster brings together an atmospheric period graphic and a direct link to the golden era of six-day racing, when Patrick Sercu and Eddy Merckx were the team to beat on Europe’s indoor tracks.

 

This poster has been archivally and professionally linen-backed.

Virtually all original vintage posters of this era were viewed as temporary advertising and were printed on very thin paper. While expensive, linen backing is a conservation method used to mount, stabilize, preserve, and protect vintage posters so they can be displayed or framed without compromising value.

This poster is an original first printing, not a reproduction.

Year: 1976
Artist: N/A

Size: 31.5 x 58 cm (12 ¼  x 22 ¾  inches) – Linen Backed Archival Mounting

Posters are sold unframed. Framed images are display ideas only.

This is a one-of-a-kind item; please review the photos carefully to determine the condition.

This item is listed on multiple platforms, and availability is subject to prior sale elsewhere.

 

In stock

SKU: PT-200393 D9-R Category: Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Description

Antwerp Six-Day Race

The Antwerp Six-Day Race (Antwerpse Zesdaagse) was one of Europe’s premier indoor track cycling events, held annually at the Sportpaleis in Antwerp, Belgium. The event was first organized in 1934, inspired by the popularity of six-day races in the United States and Western Europe. It quickly became a fixture in the international six-day calendar, attracting elite track cyclists from around the world. Interrupted only during World War II and a few sporadic years thereafter, the race continued through the decades with strong public support, especially during the 1950s to 1970s, a golden era for six-day racing. Legendary riders such as Patrick Sercu, Rik Van Steenbergen, Peter Post, and René Pijnen were frequent competitors. Peter Post holds the record for the most victories in the Antwerp Six, winning the event 11 times between 1960 and 1971. The Sportpaleis, with its steeply banked indoor track and large seating capacity, created a dramatic setting for the high-speed, tactical racing that defined the discipline. The final edition of the Antwerp Six was held in 1994, marking the end of a 60-year tradition.

 

So, What is Six-day Racing, Anyway?

Six-day track racing originated in the 19th century as part of a fascination with novel endurance sporting events. The earliest six-day races were straightforward contests to see who could ride the most laps on a track over six days. The format soon evolved to feature two-man teams, with riders taking turns on the track and dividing up the 24-hour periods—they even ate meals while riding.

Modern six-day racing takes place over six nights on indoor tracks, typically from 6 pm to 2 am. The overall winner is the team that completes the most laps. In addition to the “chase” to gain laps over competitors, a typical six-day program includes time trials, motor-paced races, intermediate sprints, and elimination races.

In the “chase” or Madison events (named after Madison Square Garden in New York City, where the two-rider format was devised), both riders may be on the track simultaneously, taking turns racing and using a hand-sling technique to propel each other back into action.

 

Additional information

Weight 3 lbs

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