But, did you know that Eddy was also a smoker? During the Six Day track races, he would sneak smokes behind the stands between sessions. Imagine what he could have done if he hadn't smoked! I raced briefly in 1980 in Belgium in the Kermesses, which are circuit races over the brutal pave. Registration for the races was held in local pubs that were filled with cigarette smoke so thick that you could hardly see where you were going. By the time I had left to get ready for the race I could hardly even breath. Smoking was simply a normal thing back then and no one really thought much about the health or fitness implications. Some racers actually thought smoking was good for you.