MUD-COVERED CYCLISTS

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12616, 29 November 1926, Page 4

MUD-COVERED CYCLISTS

FIGHT OUT 42-MILE RACE SPILLS AND THRILLS FOR ROADSIDE SPECTATORS OLYMPIC POSSIBILITY MAKES FASTEST TIME Making the pace for himself practically throughout,-F. Grose, tho champion Canterbury track and road cyclist, and a probable Olympic possibility, proved his remarkable ability and' staying 1 power once again on Saturday, when he succeeded in roepiptoring fastest time, and securing second place in the third annual rnnd rare from Wellington to Quin’s Post (Trentham), and hack, a distance of 4-2 miles. Grose overtook the limit men on the Hutt road, but could not shake off M. Gnne (3min), T. Hayes (6m mb and R. W. Robinson (llmin), end showed the way back into the Basin Reserve for tho trio. The big gear of his machine, and the heavy sward here found him nut, nnd hi,s' Inst valiant oifort, to snatch a. well deserved victory, vn, insufficient to stave off tho stout challenge made bv Gane. who got tbo decision m a stirring finish by half a length. Seventeen other mud-bespattered ana w'oli night, frozen syclists eomnlcted the course, I he balance of the forty-five starters retiring on account of cramp and trouble to their machines. Soilh« were innumerable, but fortunately the big event was not marred hv injuries of a.serious nature. The route token wn« lined with spectators, who cheered the competitors on their way, while a good crowd brnved the boisterous elements, nnd witnessed the finsh, which will go down ns one of the most thrilling on record, not excluding track events. CRASHES ON SLIPPERY ROADS With one exception all tho riders got smoothly off the mark in drenching rain, the four scratch men—Grose, T. Oakley (Mnsterton), C. Elett nqd % Carswell (Wellington)—being despatched at 2.85 o’clock. Grose paved the way out of the gates at a brisk pace. The Mnslerlon crack was the first to experi-

cnce difficulty on the treacherous macadam surfaces, and by the time 'he arrived at Feathorston street had fallen fivo times. Ho fought gamely on, but crashed again in the vicinity of Lnmbton Station. To add to his misfortune, he was misdirected and headed for Thorndon Station, and, in making tho main road again, fell badly and injured a knee. He was assisted to remount, and, with his front tyre loss inflated, proceeded on his way, after losing a valuable five minutes. Hiding with a smooth action, ho worked up to 30 miles an hour on the Hutt road, but hie task was hopeless from the outset. At the Pctone crossing, who, at no stage rose from his saddle and plodded away in the old and approved style, was pacing Flett and Carswell. Fifty yards further on, they left Kenny (3min), lamenting, a puncture having put him out of action. Tho scratch men, with the Canterbury man still leading in persistent fashion, left tho Hutt Post Office behind in 25 minutes, and were making an impression on tho tail of the limit men. Half a milo further on, Flett. lost a good deal of ground as the result of having to stop to adjust his cycle, while beyond the Taitn Hotel. IVfcFodries (lflmin), . a likelv winner, was philosophically mending a puncture. Entering the Gorge, the Canterbury man encountered a mob of cattle, but sailed through without faltering. SPURRED TO FURTHER EFFORT Carswell was finding tho going hard 100 yards back, and had Seobio (Levin), in tow. Three-quarters of a mile further on a glimpse of a mob, including Capper (Levin), and Scnrfc, spurred Grose on to the further effort. Silverstream had found some of tho less seasoned out, and they serenely turned for home. A. Horsfall (16min), wns tho first to negotiate the turning point, and wns closely followed by K. Williams (lSmin), and four or five other limit men. Grose reached this point shortly before 3.30 o’clock, with Day and Scarfe. Carswell followed a minute later, nnd Oakley and Flett a minute later still. Passing Petono the order was: Kilpatrick, Horsfall, Clark, Duff, Robinson. R. J. Clark nnd Prendergnst, with Grose in close attendance. The scratch man wns leading the bunch when the Hutt road was hit once more, where he gathered in Robinson The rac© looked assured for him, as there were now only two tiring frontmarkers half a mil© in front. At Ngnhnurnnga, an nnfortunnto accident caused Morris to crash, after ho had ridden particularly well off seven minutes. Passing Thorndon Station the bunch was reduced 'to Grose, Rohineon, Hayes, and Gane, who hung together until tho Basin

was reached. Hero Grose and Gane broke away, the latter getting in first by a fraction. Hayes was six lengths away third, with Robinson (brother of tho champion), right on him. It was some time before the Wellington scratch men mnde their appearance. A PLUCKY PERFORMANCE Misfortunte had not yet done with Oakley, for lie touched Flett’s wheel, and the pair cnnio down, to let Carswell in ahead of them. Oakley rode very pluckily, to get up with the other ©cratch men, and but for his scries of spills would undoubtedly have stayed with Grose. The following is the order in which the competitors finished nnd their handicap times: W. Gane (2hrs 13min 45scr) 1 F. Grose, Christchurch, (2hrs 13min 45 1-Osee) 2 T. llayes (2hrs lSniin 46?ec) 3 R. Robinson (2hrs I3min ftasec) 4* H. Toomer (2hrs 17min 30sec) 5 S. do Grut (2hvs 17min 37soc) 6 G. Kilpatrick (2hrs 21min 13sec), 7; J. Prendergnst (2hrs 23min oosee). 8; A. Clnrke (2hrs 23min 58sec), 9: W. Ogg (21n*-s 24min llsec), 10: W. Duff (2hrs 2-lmin. Iosco), 11 ; ,T. Carswell (2i\rs 25min lisoc), 12; C. Flett (2hrs 2omin ITsec). 13; .7. Scobio (2hrs 25min 27soc), U; T. Oaklev (21irs 25min 35soc), 15; 8. Wright (2hrs 27min 40sec). 16: H. Hill (2hrs 34min 52sec), 17; K. Williams <2hrs 31 min 53sec), 18; L. Bird (2hrs 3oniin 53 2sec), 19: G. Capper (hrs 35min 56sec), 20: nnd T. Martin (21irs 37min 24svc), 21. Fastest times were scoured by the following riders:— F. Grose (Thr 55min 4-5 1-lOsec) 1 M. Gano (thr 58min 45soc) 2 T. If ayes (2hrs Imin 46sec) 3 R W. Riohinpon (2hvs fimin 53sec) 4 J. Scobic (2hrs llmin 27sec) 5 H. Toomer, (2hrs 14min 30soc) 6 S. do Grut (2hrs lomin 37soc) 7 At tho conclusion of the event the president of the W.A.A.G. (Mr A. (! Kitto) presented Grose with tho club’s blue riband find gold mednl, and congratulated him on his meritorious performance. Ho described Gtom> as one of the best road and track men in New Zealand to-day.