ROAD CYCLING RACE

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26031, 7 February 1950, Page 6

ROAD CYCLING RACE

Win For H. Sutherland, of Australia T. R. CARTER (N.Z.) SECOND From Our Own Reporter -A , AUCKLAND. February 6. teamwork of the Australian naers was the outstanding feature of the British Empire Games 100 kilometre cycling road race to-day and they took three of the first four places. The winner was the team’s sprinter and Australian champion, Hec Sutherland. who beat the New Zealand Olympic representative, T. R. Carter in the closest finish to any Empire Games road race to date. Third place was gained by J. Fowler, who with *• Ih'yor, his fellow Australian, was responsible for much of the. good team work. The winner’s time was 3hr 15min 6.4 sec, the next five riders being separated by only tenths of a second.

The race was held in fine weather with a fresh breeze. A circuit of five and a quarter miles was covered 12 times and the route was lined with thousands of spectators. The traffic arrangements were perfect and the control of the race gained the approval of visiting cycling and officials from all the competing countries. Mr E. J. Southcott. a vice-president of the world controlling body and secretary of the National Cyclists’ Union in England, congratulated the superintendent of the race (Mr A. W. Gooder, of Auckland) on the excellent organisation. For the thousands of spectators lining the waterfront drive and adjacent hills there was a running-com-mentary of the race provided by officials in co-ooeration with amateur radio transmitters. Thirteen Riders Start At the start there was an appreciative cheer from the crowd when J. G. Leckic, captain of the New Zealand Empire Games team, led the members of the team in a spirited haka in support of their three representatives. Carter, J. S. Downie. and E. J. Lambert.

Thirteen riders took part in the event, the first of the cycling section, and it was not long before they settled down to a fast clip, doing each lap in between 15Vz and 16la minutes. The first casualty was Lambert, the Aucklander, who broke his chain in the first circuit, but he made a change and continued until he was lapped on the seventh round.

The other two New Zealanders worked very hard, and Carter took the lead going up the hills. A. D. Newman, the English champion, was prominent at various stages although his team-mate. E. R. Holroyd.- 1 had to retire early with machine trouble. Throughout the race the Australian trio were teaming well until on the seventh lap Pryor’s machine was punctured. He changed his tyre and continued on his way after losing iust on four minutes. At various - stages his team-mates kept the pace down so that he could catch up. He caught them in the last lap and succeeded in gaining fourth place, only three-tenths of a second behind the winner.

Perhaos the most outstanding ride as far as the spectators were concerned was that of Downie, the veteran Blenheim rider, who in the eighth lap fell and suffered abrasions, from which blood flowed freely. Riding with courage and determination, he caught the field in the same lap after losing nearly a quarter of a mile. After this strenuous effort he was dropped several times, but always caught the leading bunch, and came in with them at the finish, only five seconds behind the leader to take seventh place. Carter rode brilliantly and always appeared at ease. Several times he took charge of the field, and it appeared as if he would be a certain winner. It was only the brilliant sprinting and team tactics of the Australians that kept him in second place, one-tenth of a second behind the winner when there were only seven of the field left.

Sutherland, one of the youngest riders in the field, has a brilliant sprint, which has won him many races in Australia, and if he can maintain the form he showed in this race he should be a distinct prospect for the Helsinki Olympic Games two years fiom now. Fowler, the other member of ihe Australian team, did excellent work for his team-mate, Sutherland. by leading him out for the finishing sprint. He himself gained third place. M. T. Campbell, of Wales, and Newman, of England, while showing up well throughout the race, were not able to match the speed of the other contestants in the sprint for the line. The result was:— 100 KILOMETRES ROAD RACE H. Sutherland (Australia) .. 1 T. R Carter (New Zealand) 2 J. Fowler (Australia) ..3 P. J. Pryor (Australia) 4. M. Campbel] (Wales) 5. A. D. Newman (England) 6. Time. 3hr 13min 6.4 sec.