CYCLING.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIII, Issue 298, 16 December 1902, Page 3

CYCLING.

A NOTED AMERICAN CYCLIST

Major Taylor, the American sprint champion, is a passenger to Australia by the B.M.S. Ventura, which arrived here this morning-, and will proceed to Australia to-night. In the course of a chat with a "Star' representative on arrival of the vessel, the "Major" stated that be had not the slightest idea as to- what races or matches he was to take part in. The representative of the League of fcew South Wales Wheelmen, under tbe auspices of which the cyclist is proceeding to Australia, only arrived m America about a week before the Ventura sailed, so that there was no time for parleying, and Mr Jayloi therefore accepted the main terms of the league, and left the arrangement of all details until arriving at headquarters. He is doubtful as to how he will succeed in Australia owing to the change in climatic conditions, and to his now being entirely out of form, and states that he would rather have come to Australia in the winter, and been there for two or three months before the season opened, so that he would have time to become acclimatised. He intends to follow this course at a fuunsuccessful. It will, of course, take the cyclist three or four weeks to the cyclist thre or four weeks to get back to anything like form even if the weather conditions are not against him, as he has been rather ill on most of the trip down. Chatting as to his recent experiences in the" States and Europe, Major Taylor stated that he had not been too successful in his own country, partly, as is well known to cyclists generally, to the combination of riders against him, several of the best riders on the tracks doing all in their power to hold the champion back, on account of his colour. Mr Taylor is a man of strong convictions, and rather than race on Sundays 'he stood out of the Continental championships last year. He says that racing is at a rather low ebb in the States, the prizes offered reaching a maximum of about 300 dollars, with perhaps a couple of hundred competitors, so that with heats, semi-finals and finals a cyclist pivtty well earns whatever he gets. Mr Taylor does not know whether he will race in New Zealand or not, that with other details remaining for decision on his arrival at Sydney. He is accompanied by his wife and a trainer, but has nothing in the way of pacing machines, which he never uses. Taylor is £i sprinter, and therefore will not race against Uobl and_ Dicketmann, the two Continental' cracks who are now due in Victoria. The latter are middle distance men, racing lip to the hour, so that they are in an entirely different class to the American champion.