ROAD CYCLING.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 155, 4 July 1939, Page 19

ROAD CYCLING.

BIG CENTRE FIELDS.

D. S. AULICK PROFITS BY JUNIORS' TEAM WORK. W. A. BAKNETT FASTEST SENIOR. The support given the Auckland Centre's events last Saturday undoubtedly proved that cyclists, in common with other road users, have a definite preference for sealed road surfaces. The races were the first south of the city, and the entry of 128 riders was the best yet for a centre race.

Apart for the detour at Bombay the seniors had 37 miles of main highway to traverse. H. W. Wilson and W. Gallagher were first away, and with their 14.30 start from the scratch bunch of five they did extremely well to hold the lead till Drury, a distance of 24 miles. Here they were joined by a string of ten riders. Just after Papakura the four Manukau men broke away, and from then on sealed the result of the placings.

K. and C. Picknell, with the support of R. F. Mynott, proved an almost unapproachable combination from the 7.0 mark. They mowed down group after group, and only lan Walker was able to keep with thorn after the breakaway. K. Picknell was second to McLellan in the 100 miles event last October, and he has put on useful condition since then. Indeed he appears one of the fittest of the riders at the present time.

Asset to Manukau. MynoM i.s a definite asset to the Manukau Club. He rides a quiet, unconcerned race, and can give and take pace with the best. Chas. Picknell has staying power equal to that of any rider of his age, but when it comes to sprinting he is much weaker than his brother. »

Light and short in stature, J. I. Walker must possess wonderful stamina, for he had a hard chase for over a mile to catch the four loaders after their breakaway movement. F. D. O'Gorman has blossomed out this year and, with the

encouragement of his win in the June race, led in a string of 20 riders to be fifth, happy knack of being able to produce a (startling finish.

F. Tredrea also showed distinct speed, and many are wondering why he failed to obtain selection for the Hope Gibbons team contest. He led R. S. Triner in and was well ahead of (i. K. Purdom, both ot whom started off 3.0 with him.

With the knowledge that they would be fastest, W. A. Barnett, of the Lynndale Club, and E. Q. Mynott, of the Manukau Club, had a great sprint for Barnett to get the decision by half a wheel. This was Barnett's first big success, and judging from his immense build and powerful limbs it may easily be the start of a series of wins. Although not spectacular, Mynott is a force to worry the fastest, and he still holds the Captain Cup race record.

The scratch men, Brown, Hawke, Partridge, Archer and Johnson, teamed all right to Bombay. Then they seemed to break up their combination and slowly faded out of the race. Partridge last year was fastest, but on Saturday, although fastest of the scratch men, he took 95.15 against his 1938 time of 93.11. The pace was too much for Johnson, while Brown was not expected to do as well as he did, for it was his first ride since hie spill. He exercised caution, especially on the sharp descent from Bombay township, where Hawke provided the fireworks with Tour-de-France-like recklessness.

Making the most of his last ride in an open junior race. H. R. Baldwin met McGrath, Clark, Tanfield and Brown on the scratch mark, but mastered the lot to take time honours in 59.25 for the 22 miles of pavement. On Saturday week he will become_ 18, and so will leave a big gap in the junior ranks for a while.

T. Tanfield, of the Northern Club, rode impressively with Baldwin and was beaten only by inches by McGrath, who seems to ride better on his own than with a pack. The winner. D. S. Aulick, is a brother of N. Aulick. who was one of Manukau's leading juniors in 1936. Aulick, Lewin and the two Lynndale lads, E. J. Dimmock and R. Herk, can attribute their success to teaming. Herk has only started to race and at the rate he w improving he should help strengthen his club's junior team in the August team championship. R. Matthews and V. A. Hills were the only ones capable of keeping with the winning fonr. The Papakura Club's leading junior, W. Pussell, seemed to enjoy his first race in open company and his effort should encourage further entries from the suburban club.

Ceminf Events. Two events commamling particular interest next Saturday are the Manukau Club's senior time trial over the large course and the Northern Club's 28 miles' event for the President's Cup over the extremely fast. Howiok course. The Manukau Club's 20-mile T.T. will be virtually a championship and quite 10 riders will dispute fastest time. J. W. Critchley, off 9.30, won the President's Cap last year from a field of 28 riders, while A., M. J. Keith was fastest.

On the last Saturday of this month the Hamilton Club will hold a big open race to Tirau and back, a distance of 74 miles. Many Auckland riders will be competing and they intend to have a training ride back from Hamilton the following day. The Te Awamutu Club'e race from Te Awamutu to Ohaupo and back, 16 miles, was won by S. Gyde, with L, McAlpine second and R. Liddington xhird. G. Allen put up fastest time, 39.57. The day was wet and riding conditions bad.