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Severeyns - De Loof changeover ahead of Dave Bonner at Earls Court
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1967 Pathe News clips
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After a gap of fifteen years the London Six was back and this time the race was at the start of the normal six day season - from 18 to 23-Sep-1967.
Cycling’s headline was - “OH! WHAT A SIX! Britain’s best show, best racing for years packed in the crowds and thrills”
But it was a race with a touch of sadness for it was Tom Simpson that should have partnered Ron Baensch. But instead of making Six Day racing his new career Tom died on Mont Ventoux chasing an impossible dream in the Tour de France.
Here are two reports from Cycling, 25-Feb-1967 -
“Earls Court Six : the greatest!
WE are going to put on the world's biggest Six ever, on the finest track ever devised," said Hubert G. Starley, chairman of the Industries Association committee in charge of organization for the Skol International Six.
Hubert Starley, who is managing director of Champion Spark Plug Company, was addressing the Association's annual general meeting. He praised the inspiration of Victor Davies, managing director of Viking Cycles, and added: "We have lined up all the finest stars in the world of cycling, for a programme which will be full of interest for the enthusiast and the general public alike.
"There will be television, colour films, Eurovision, the lot, all backed up by the most vital Cycle Show this industry has ever put on.
"I am sure that this will be a new milestone in the history of British sport, for we are going to bring the British public one of the most exciting things ever seen in Britain!,
Afterwards he was able to tell CYCLING that Tom Simpson would be partnering Ron Baensch in an all-Commonwealth team in the Six, challenged by Peter Post and Gerard Koel, of Holland, and Bill Lawrie, of Australia, would be -partnered by another British rider as yet unnamed.”
“SIX-MAN SIMPSON GREATEST AT GHENT
TOM SIMPSON, who has announced his intention of giving up the road in favour of specializing on the winter tracks, gave a formidable display against Peter Post at Ghent.
He beat the "king" behind the Dernys after Post lost his motor in the last lap ; he crushed Post by four seconds in a 4,000 metre pursuit to record 4min. 46sec. - equivalent to a half-second beating of the professional 5,000 metres world record - was third in the devil behind Sercu and Post and was third in the flying kilometre.
Probably the kilometre provided the biggest surprise. Fritz Pfenninger recorded 1-4.0; Patrick Sercu could only manage 1-4.6 and Tom was a scant tenth of a second slower than the young Belgian.
Tom's 4,000 metres effort was six seconds better than the world amateur record, held by Roncaglia of Italy. There is no professional record for the distance.
Remarked "Simmy" "Ten years ago, I did the same time in the British pursuit team."
Only Ferdy Bracke shares such a fast individual time with Simpson. He recorded a 4-46 when beating Peter Post by one second over the distance in 1965.”
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 In the build-up to the Six, selection races were held. This is the report of one -
“Complete Continental domination
THE results of the Skol six-day selection races at Salford Park last Friday tell the story; almost complete domination by the lone Continentals, Theo Verscbueren, Belgium, and Gerard Koel, Holland. They won every event they rode, and in the closing Madison took first place in every sprint.
But although they won, they did not have everything their own way for there were plenty of home-based pros determined to keep the prize money on this side of the Channel and a real star of the Madison was Bill Holmes finishing fourth riding alone.
Riding on the two laps in and two laps out principle paired with the Hugh Porter / Dave Bonner team, Skol promoter Charles Ruys had to keep a close watch on Bill as he was doing more turns than he needed.
All it needed to rub in the agony was for Koel / Verschueren to take a lap, but the pair decided to ride a defensive race, still going fast enough to lap some of the teams. Norman Hill, Geoffrey Butler Cycles, and Tony Birkett, Don Farrell, lost a lap and spoiled their previously good record in the selections races.
Jim Moore and Mick Coupe, Croad Automatics, also lost a lap which cost them third place since they had five points which would have taken them above Dick Goodman and George Halls, Trumanns Steel / Manchester Wheelers. Moore's impressive sprinting was hindered by Coupe's apparent sluggishness.
The venue was changed from Kirkby to Salford Park, Birmingham, at the last minute. It was discovered that professional promotions are not allowed at the Liverpool track and Tommy Godwin gathered together a band of helpers in time for Friday evening after learning of the change late on Wednesday.
Pt-to-pt, 3m. — THEO VERSCHUEREN, Belgium, 33pt.; 2, H. Porter, Mackeson, 20; 3, P. Gordon, Trumanns Steel / Manchester Wheelers; 4, W. Holmes, Falcon, 7; 6min. 20.6 sec
Devil.— GERARD KOEL, Holland; 2, D. Bonner, Mackeson; 3, J. Moore, Croad Automatics; 4, A. Birkett, Don Farrell Cycles.
Madison.— KOEL / VERSCHUEREN, 21pt.; 2, Porter / Bonner, 6pt; 3, R. Goodman / G. Halls, Trumanns Steel / Manchester Wheelers, 4pt; W. Holmes, Bertin-Milremo, 4pt.
Omnium.— KOEL / VERSCHUEREN, 20pt; 2, Porter/ Bonner, 16pt; 3, Holmes, 7pt; 4, Goodman/ Halls, 6pt.
Flying start 2-up kilometre (not included in omnium) — KOEL / VERSCHUEHEN, 1-7-7; 2, Birkett / Hill, 1-8.8; 3, Porter/ Bonner, 1-9-0; 4, M. Ives / D. Woodings, Mercian/Bantel, 1-10-2. from Mike Duffield, Cycling, 8-Jul-1967
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This time there is some original material to use. In fact Cycling dedicated almost all of its first eight pages plus much of its cover to the race... 
