AUSTRALIAN RIDERS INTERVIEWED

Evening Star, Issue 19796, 21 February 1928, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN RIDERS INTERVIEWED

NEED FDR BETTER TRACKS CYCLING IN NEW ZEALAND New Zealand is not lacking in cycling talent, but further opportunities of developing your promising riders are needed than is provided at present, was the opinion expressed by both J. Standen and D. Gray, tho Australian champion cyclists, when a 4 Star reporter called on them this morning to obtain some impressions of their tour of New Zealand to date. The visitors arrived in Dunedin yesterday aiternoon, and are accompanied by Mr E. W- Kaltenbach, who is Stand«’s trainer at home, and is looking both men during their present tour. Mr Kaltenbach is prominent in Australian cycling circles, and lias held the position of secretary of the New South Wales Cyclists Union, which >'s the body controlling the amateur side of the sport in that State. Though ho has had a brilliant career as a cyclist, Jack Standen is but n youngster, and his nineteenth birthday was ‘celebrated only yesterday. Four years ago it was that the cycling track beckoned him seriously, and since then he has never looked back, his career on the track being comprised of a long list of successes. Ho has brought many honors to tho Marrickvillo Club, of which be is a member, his first New f uth Wales title being won in 1925. He is the bolder of twenty-four championship titles, and recently reached the height of bis fame when he won tho half-mile, five-mile, and ten-mile championships of Australia, while he_ won the 1,000 metres Olympic time trial in Imin 16 3-ssec, and also the 1,000 metres scratch race. In .winning these titles Standen proved to bo the conqueror of the great “Fatty” Lamb, who made such a big name for himself on Now Zealand tracks last season, though in Australia he is better known as a road rider and for his speed on his machine when riding in motor paced races.

Gray is two years older than Slandcn. and though perhaps hardly up to the latter’s standard, ho is but little inferior to his fellow New South Welshman. Gray, like Standee, has been nominated to represent his country at the Olympic Games, and his selection is all the more noteworthy when it is mentioned that he is a country product. Gray belongs to the Goulburn Club, one of the strongest cycling bodies in Australia. He is the holder of the onemile Australian title, and in finishing second to Standen in the 1,000 metres Olympic time trial returned Imin 19sec. Air Kaltenbach, the trainer of the pair, is emphatic regarding the brilliance of both riders, and mentioned that Standen had covered the half-mile in the great time of 57sec. “‘Fatty’ Lamb is a great road rider,” ho commented, “hut on the track he is not in the class of Standen or Gray,” which surely is an indication of the merit of the two referred to.

“ What do you think of the New Zealand cycle tracks?” queried the reporter, but tho visitors refused to lie drawn to any extent, though their trainer stated that despite the fact that they had both been used to hard banked tracks they had settled down remarkably well to tho grass tracks that had been encountered in several places. Standen. however, frankly admitted that lie did not like grass tracks, and Gray said that at one place that was visited the sheep had to bo cleared off the track to enable him to have a training spin. Tho track horo evidence of their sojourn, and to say the least ho considered that those who are called upon to train under such conditions regularly required considerable enthusiasm if they were to retain their interest in tho sport. Gray found trouble on the grass tracks at Carterton, and fell four times, being beaten by the Wellington crack, T. Oakley. The_tables, however, were turned under smilar conditions in Wellington, and generally speaking the visitors havo had a most successful tour. Both Australians were much impressed by the Wanganui track, which they considered was the best they have yet encountered in New Zealand. It is a well-banked track, and reminded them strongly of the Sydney Sports Ground. The Christchurch track, though banked, they did not like quite so well, ancj both emphasised the fact that if New Zealand is to make the progress in cycling that is desired something more will have to be done by the authorities in the way of providing more modern and up-to-date tracks, not only from the point of view of better competition, but also that the riders would have better facilities for training.

“ 1 am very sorry I will bo unable to meet the New Zealand champion, F. J. Grose,” said Standee, “ but from what we saw of him during our fateful training spin together he is a rider much above the ordinary.” The visiting champion went on to explain that in Christchurch Gray and ho were having a five-mile ride with Grose and Mackey, when the accident occurred which has put Grose aside for some considerable time at least. With two laps to go Stnnden was in the van, and another half-lap further on his pedal dug into the track, a fall resulting. Mackey was unable to avoid him and came down, but Grose, who was one and a-half lengths hack, cleared them, though he could not avoid the fence, taking Gray with him. Grose came off the worst of the lot, and though Stnnden did not escape injury he is now beginning to recover from the effects of the spill. Apart from Grose, the tourists found that there were several riders above the average in New Zealand, though they did not consider the general standard of amateur .cycling was nearly as high here as in Australia, probably because there were_ not the same opportunities for training.

For the officials controlling the sport in New Zealand they have nothing but praise, Mr Kaltcnback in particular being much impressed with the enthusiasm displayed and the desire of many administrators to increase the popularity of the sport. _ In this connection he stressed the desirability of fostering teams’ racing, and said that in Australia ns many as twenty-three teams (of nine a-side) would contest the Dunlop interclub teams’ race. This was a road event, and aroused great activity among the clubs, to the benefit of the sport. Such an event should not be difficult to organise in New Zealand, and ho felt sure it would meet with ready support. The champions are both modest, unassuming young fellows, and they expressed their willingness to impart whatever knowledge they could to the local riders.