Mark Cavendish and Iljo Caisse teamed up in Belgium for next week's Ghent Six. After testing their equipment, the veteran Belgians joked that the Manx "change bikes like underwear," but promised not to yell at him when they compete in another edition of the historic race on the technically challenging 166m Ghent-To-Kipke course.

The 2020 Ghent Six, canceled due to the COVID-19 epidemic, will be held again from November 17-22 and will require special rules and a COVID-19 pass to be among the 6,400 spectators allowed into the velodrome. Spectators will be isolated from riders, with limited ventilation and movement between the stands and track center. Beer will be served as usual and the racing will be as entertaining as ever.

When the teams were announced on Monday afternoon, Cavendish and Casey were described as the royal couple of the 2021 Ghent Six. Cavendish won in 2016 with Bradley Wiggins, but his best result with Cavendish was second in 2014.

They will race with Deceuninck-QuickStep teammate and new Madison World Champion Michael Mørkøv, who will be paired with Lasse Norman Hansen. The world's best track riders complete the 12-team field.

Cavendish and Keyes will travel to Copenhagen on Wednesday to run the 3-Day DBC at the Ballerup Velodrome and prepare their legs for the 6-day 't Kuipke' velodrome race.

For Kacee, this will be her last ride in Ghent Six, where she plans to retire after next year's event.

Caisse continues to train in the off-season and hopes that Cavendish, who took his bike on vacation to Abu Dhabi, has the form to compete in the Ghent Six.

"We trained together on Monday and he was fast and seemed fine," Keyes told Belgian media at the Ghent Six presentation, joking that Cavendish is a perfectionist.

"It's pretty good, but it's not perfect yet. Cav changes bikes like his underwear. He decided to run with a different frame and is working on the setup and finishing touches at the service track in Wevelgem.

"When he stopped after 15 laps on Monday, I thought, here we go again. In the end he was only off the bike for five minutes and finished the rest of his training."

Keis insisted that he would not yell at Cavendish anymore in the Ghent Six. He has no regrets about not pairing up with Morkov and just wants to enjoy racing on his home course.

"I've decided that I'm not going to bark at Cav anymore during the six-day race. I've done it before, but Cavendish's track record doesn't fit in the town hall of Ghent. His Palma is 100 times bigger than mine. Casey asked.

"I want to enjoy the present more than the past years without a lot of pressure on my shoulders. sometimes I couldn't see the beauty of the six days. Or I saw it but didn't enjoy it. It was all unnecessary. Kav and I are going to start now and give it our best shot. You'll just have to wait and see how it all turns out in the end."