CYCLE RIDING.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10140, 10 November 1910, Page 6

CYCLE RIDING.

ATTEMPT TO LOWER HUNDKED MILES KECORD.

An attempt wa3 made [yesterday to lower the hundred miles cycle record. The course was between Masterton and Featherston, a distance of twenty-five miles, and the course wa3 covered four times. W. A. O'Donnell, of Levin, was the rider, and the record attempted to lower was that of 4hrs 54mins 51 4-ssec, put up by Leon Meredith, on the Bath Road, England, O'Donnell got away 4mins past 5 a.m., riding strongly, and covered the first section of twenty-five miloa in lhr I2min l-ssec; the sceond section in lhr 23min 45sec; the third section in lhr 34min 3-ssec; and the fourth section in lhr 23min 20 2-ssec. The time taken from start t) finish was shr3 33min 5 4 ssec. No punctures -or mechanical troubles occurred, but] on account of striking several small mobs of travelling stock, the cyclist had to slow | down. The winds were variable, a I very heavy cross-wind blowing after crossing the big water-race near Tauherenikau. The roads are in very fair order, but inclined to be loose. (Jn the last two laps O'Donnell was riding the traffic started to move for the races, which distracted hia attention slightly. On the whole, his attempt is considered very good under the conditions, and certainly willing, but he is slightly lacking in experience of unpaced riding, as his final lap is a better performance than his second outward. He was also slightly lacking in the true knowledge of the road, and lost a little time by hesitation at turnjiigs. There is, of course, a wide difference between road racing and unpaced riding, and although O'Donnell did not break the record, hi 3 determined attempt reflects on him great credit.