Speed-Cycling on Road and Track

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 344, 3 May 1928, Page 7

Speed-Cycling on Road and Track

- By

“VELOS”

Saturday’s road races at Mangere will be a 20-mile open handicap by the Auckland Athletic and Cycling Club. a nd a s?j mile open handicap and 11 mile novice handicap by the Manukau Amateur Cycle Club. Both clubs’ races start from the usual places at 2.30 p.m. fcharp. THE RIGHT OF ROAD A complaint lodged by the officials controlling the Auckland Athletic and Cycling Clubs race last Saturday made it appear that some of the Manukau Amateur Cycle Club’s riders had acted n a very unsportsmanlike manner by refusing to give way to the Auckland Club’s riders when it was their duty to do so. In conversation with the Auckland Club’s officials it is quite evident that their riders were not given the amount of road due to them at this Particular spot, but it is also quite possible that it was not intentionally done, as 21 riders all in a bunch naturtake up a good deal of roadway. Riders will do well to remember that die sport of cycling will suffer if this s °rt of thing—as alleged—is allowed to lake place. From now on a strict watch is to be kept on riders, both amateur and professional, with a view to stopping this kind of thing. CASH RIDERS OPEN SEASON The opening of the professional road racing season on Saturday took place under ideal weather conditions. There was a good muster of riders, but quite a number of faces who were regular competitors last year were missing at inis season’s “start off.” Noticeably so was a. R. “Putty” White, and Frank p ° r ; T be former is the holder of the .rdington Champion Shield, for most K.hJu 8 in road races held at Mangere -rf ‘•he Auckland Athletic and Cycling lub last year, and Frank Prior, who *h e 25 mile Auckland provincial ■ iam Pionship. White may not be seen u action again, but Prior will be a aancr nex t Saturday. the opening race was over 14 miles nd considering it was the first race a ii 8 season * riders as a whole rode l ell - The club has a busy road season n 2° a ■ an< * ""'ith the prospect of several , riders joining, the outlook is parUcuiarlv encouraging. r a the winner of Saturday’s • put up a good ride. It was his th St star * among the cash riders, and manner in which he beat the oppo- " m akes his chances look good later m the season. He rode as an ama-

teur last year, but did not meet with much success. W. Archer, who finished second and Iv. Rae who finished third, were both better fancied than the winner, but neither rider could head him off when it came to finishing down the Mangere Hill. “SLATER” HAYES IN TRIM Slater Hayes the scratch rider had a minute and a half gap to pick up which was a big hurdle for him. However he managed to do it and get to J. Henderson, when more than half the journey had been covered; but puncturing soon afterward spoilt whatever chance he had of being in the money. Pie won fastest time. J. Harcourt and M. Randrup, Hamilton’s star pro. riders, are both “hors de combat.” The former was recovering from the effects of a broken collarbone received on the Auckland Domain a few weeks back, and was out for his first ride, when he skidded in some loose shingle, fell, and broke his collarbone in a fresh place. Randrup is in the Hamilton hospital suffering from the effects of falls received at Te Aroha. Both riders will be seen in action at Mangere later on in the season, when they should help to make the racing more interesting. AMONG THE AMATEURS The 17-mile handicap event held by the Manukau Amateur Cycle Club last Saturday was won by L. D. Roberts who had the liberal allowance of five minutes. The day suited the front markers, there being no wind, and they made no race of it, filling all the places. The winner was always well placed; he was never at any time prominent till within sight of the winning post, when he got a jump in some distance from the finish and won by a length. E. Cleaver and L. Aldred, who filled second and third places, both finished well. The former put up a par* ticularly good performance. The 2.45 min riders in the five and a half mile junior event. G. W. Whitehouse, R. Whitten, and F. E. Pinker, stayed together all the way, and finished in that order. The winner, Whitehouse, is a likely looking rider, quiet and unassuming He has a finish that will sure land him a winner again shortly. WADE’S RECORD Jack Wade again wins fastest time, and breaks the Mangere record for the 17 miles. Wade rode his best race to date in beating Byrnes for fastest time. He did not have too good a passage over the last 50yds, Byrnes appearing to bore him into the crowd. This looked more accidental than otherwise on the latter’s part, but it undoubtedly did not improve Wade’s chance. The meeting of these two speed kings at Mangere every Saturday should not be missed by any lovers of the sport. THE NEW TRACK The Western Springs track is gradually assuming a shape something like a racing track should. The banking, which was the cause of much adverse criticism among riders, 1ms —thanks to the efforts of an ex-champion—been altered, and when finished will carry a speed of 35 miles an hour inside the pole line. This speed what every

track should be able to carry, but few of them do. The width of the track will be 23ft, and will be a little over three laps to the mile. Seating accommodation on the terraces will be so arranged that every person can have an uninterrupted view of the track. The final top dressing at the present time is undecided, but it will probably be tar and bitumen mixed, with a dressing of fine sand. HARRIS HORDEN E. H. Cucksey, one time Anckland’s speediest amateur cyclist, has just returned from a world’s tour. While in New York he saw Harris Horder, who competed three seasons ago at Blandford Park, win one of the distances that count in the points for the American National Championship. Horder finally won this coveted honour, defeating all the world’s leading sprinters, and in doing so earned for himself a salary estimated at not less than £ 3,000 a year. Mr. Cucksey was quite enthusiastic about America’s attendances at the cycle races, which, he says, have been good for a number of years. He has several new stunts to put over when Blandford Park Stadium opens.