ON HIS OWN

NZ Truth, Issue 1214, 7 March 1929, Page 14

ON HIS OWN

Grose Is Country's Best Cyclist

(From "N.Z. Truth's". Wellington Rep.) Through bad luck and an injury Frank. Grose, crack wheelman, was unable to defend his New Zealand cycling titles. TOMMY OAKLEY, the prominent Masterton rider, was thus able to collect-two out of three of Grose's titles. ; The, three undoubtedly would haye been his had he not- let Wade, of Auckland, work a tactical point over hini m ..the half-mile event. Realising the great possibilities m a meeting between' Grose and Oakley, the Port Nicholson (Wellington) Cycling ;Clijb;sstaged a. carnival ' m which the programme , specially suited Oakley and -Grose. ■■.<■.. '■ ■ u'y* ■;■"- .'.'. '■■''■' j Accordingly the pair met m. a ". • hot .field ; in the .invitation scratch ...; eyentioyer, a mile. ' y • The t iace ; itself- Avasf ull of thrills and proyjded the" most stirring: finish .ever seenybh- the Basin Reserve. ' Wh.j6.n-. the Very important of thQ >last <iVarte'r-mile' were entered upon Oakley 'and Grose shot away for h'orrie, but ,Gr.6>se ; delayed li'is kicJc. .. / Oakley set a torrid ■ pace in -front roundy the 'bend 2i3oyds. from home and led; : Gane' arid Grose into the straight byvhearly a length. \ ' ..' tlt.'w^s- from this corner and m the eight^.^ai'd dash home that Grose sho^ved^fthat quality that places him m '; the ;.di vision par-exceilence among New Zealand wheelmen. ; «. • ; Kicking his machine, hardlne.ahf: ; 'solutely buried Oakley for pace a,nd . ;sh.ot !^fiome between Oakley - and ' ■"• Ganetb win a 'thrilling finish by : a wheel.-.. Gan'e was a.. further wheel •:' cbackvthird. ■'.•■- "..' : ...v'.-'Aytw'o-.mile .pursuit event, -an unusual, race for Wellington fans, , was won daaily '-.by. Oakley from Grose with Ga% altogether outclassed, , ,y ■'-. ; ' '. .;' Grose gave further demonstration of his i ; ability' when he ivqn. the'lJadies' Bracelet niile' from" scratch, y . . . '. ; y How Christchurch critics 'could VpJ'aee "o|Brien, and Mackie m. the „- same class with Grose* is •'..-. ;..- , the-comprehensiori : of -{'N .Z. truth," ;..-■' It: savor ssomewhat pf . .the 'quotation that a. prophet, hath ho honor m his own land. : -,•'>. ' ■' j' -Truth"' places. Grpse ■[ first and foremost among; New Zealand riders, ori j grass or hard tracks,"' and goes .so far s'as ito- sayyihat-jlie- would have; beaten both Standen and Duncan Gray-had "tie not met .jyith the. unfortunate -riiishap at English- Park "during "training . last year. , .