Daniel Holloway and Guy East, two pros who couldn’t be more different off the bike will be racing together as the California Team at the first half-Six Day race since the 1940’s next month.
But after racing together at the 2013 Sei Giorni della Rose, the only European Six-Day race held this summer in Fiorenzuola, Italy, these two are ready to win.
“Because it’s the first Six-Day in 40 years in the USA I’m extremely excited to compete,” said East. “It’s going to be one of the highlights of my season.” The pair will comprise the California Team while racing at the event, the Hollywood Championship Cycling, at the StubHub Center, in Carson, CA.
Holloway is also totally psyched for the first half-Six Day race in the U.S. since they ended in the 1940’s: “My whole career has been about this,” he said. “Since I’ve been a junior rider I’ve wanted to race Six-Days.”
A member of the United States National Team since 2006 and America’s first winner of the European UIV 6-day Talents Cup, East has competed in nearly 30 countries on four continents.
East won the overall UIV Talents Cup several years ago in addition to several Euro pro contracts, but he put much of his racing on hold to fulfill his dreams in Mexico.
After moving to Tijuana, Mexico, East began building homes for impoverished families and he developed a program to help professional athletes become leaders. East also got married this past summer—-man he’s been busy!
Now the Indianapolis native is making a comeback in Euro pro Madison racing—and he’s raring to go.
San Francisco native Holloway has been a National Champ on both road and track. “He had a bit of a bad-boy image but often in a fun way,” said Jack Simes of HCC. “He will definitely engage the crowds.”
“For so many years we’ve heard [Six-Day racing] may come back to the States and each time nothing happened,” said Holloway. “Now to actually be part of this, I’m so excited. It’s a new age for American cycling and our riders.”
Six-day racing in the United States its pure format was a continuous race held for six-days straight—with very little breaks for sleeping. During it’s heyday from the late 1800’s to the 1930’s it was the dominant spectator sport and form of entertainment for the masses, and the sole event being held at New York City’s Madison Square Garden.
Fast-forward to today, six-day racing is now predominantly a European sport, particularly in Belgium and Germany.
Holloway has won six national championships, and competed in 12 professional Six-Day races, and currently rides for the Team Amore & Vita UCI Continental Pro Team.
This year Holloway had multiple first place finishes at Hellyer Velodrome, came in first at the June Burlingame Criterium, and was second in the Air Force Association Cycling Classic this June.
The HCC race will be the first of its kind to be re-introduced to the United States, and the races will be held from 6 PM to 11 PM every day for
three days.
The pair will be joining 15 other teams for three days of racing from October 11 through 13.
Tickets are on sale already and going fast, say the organizers. Check out their Facebook page and range from $20 to $55. Best to buy soon, if you want to get the least expensive tickets.
The venue is the StubHub Center, in Carson, CA., 18400 Avalon Boulevard. For more info, please email the organizers at news@ncacycling.com, or visit their website at http://ncacycling.com/
