ROAD CYCLING

Wairarapa Times-Age, 14 June 1939, Page 9

ROAD CYCLING

WAIRARAPA CLUB. NOTES ON SATURDAY'S RACE. (By “Wheelman.”) The Wairarapa Amateur Cycling Club’s race on Saturday was held under ideal cycling conditions, the weather being fine with a slight northerly wind. The race was held over a distance of 28 miles, the course being from Second Street, Lansdowne, to Mount Bruce and return. On the outward journey, the seven riders were riding right into the wind as well as against a fairly stiff grade in the road, a feature of this course, right to Ihe turn, but the home run was a totally different tale, several of the riders finding their gears much too small and their muscles suffered accordingly. The time taken was 1 hour 10 minutes 7 seconds, a splendid performance considering the season is only as yet in its infancy. Riding solo off two minutes, G. Gooding, a first-year rider, collected the laurels, this being his first win. This rider is a very consistent rider and has been unlucky not to have won in previous races. This rider seems to ride at his best when he is alone, as his performance on Saturday shows. He only missed fastest time honours by 30 secs, and this week’s race should see him on scratch. Second place went to M. Graham, a junior rider off three minutes. This lad certainly knows how to make the pace, he being mainly responsible for successfully holding the scratch men off on Saturday. B. Dooling filled third place off 41 minutes. This rider is slowly coming into form, but needs a lot more training yet in order to cross that line first. The two scratch men, K. Woollett and R. Copp, filled the next two places. K. Woollett prevailed over R. Copp for fastest time honours in a thrilling dash down Opaki Road. Where these two riders are competing one may usually look forward to a splendid finish, the difference between the two being only a matter of half a wheel. Of the two riders I think Russ Copp is the fitter, he being at the mo; ment the best solo rider, but Keith Woollett always seems to manage to rake up enough “dash” in the finishing sprint to collect fastest time honours no matter how “knocked” he is, which is after all a very essential quality in a racing cyclist. Last but not least we have E. Lefort and K. Gilbert, two young riders who are nevertheless very game but the going on Saturday was just a bit “tough” for them. However, with more training these two will certainly be to the fore.

A word to all club riders would not be out of place: In conjunction with your usual training rides try some physical jerks every night and perhaps a long walk occasionally, you will reap great benefit. There is a series of races held in Wellington every year for the Gibbons Shield, this being a teams race. The club would do well in sending down a team perhaps two. What about some serious training, boys? ;