The organizers of the Rotterdam six day have been having trouble attracting the big names to their event, and have instead pulled in the world's biggest names in track sprinting to draw the crowds. The 'masters of sprint' competition will include local favourite and world record holder Theo Bos, multiple world champion Arnaud Tournant, British star Craig MacLean and Dutch riders Teun Mulder and Tim Veldt. The Dutch newspaper Telegraaf reports that Bos is excited about the event. "It's fantastic that some of the world's best riders will be here. There is prize money at stake, so everybody will go full on. I'm certainly looking forward to that."
Organizer Frank Boelé told Telegraaf that they tried to get a big road rider on the roster, but didn't succeed in luring Zabel or Bettini, since the race didn't fit in with their schedules. Instead, Boelé says the 'masters of sprint' will give Bos an opportunity to shine on his home turf. "If you have the two-time world champion [sprint and keirin] in your ranks, then you've got to do something special for that. Somebody like him deserves his own program."
