CYCLING

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27472, 5 October 1954, Page 9

CYCLING

SIX-DAY RACE FROM AUCKLAND P. BAIRD WINS FIRST STAGE (New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND. October 4. The runner-up in the Empire Games road race, P. Baird, led 20 riders across the line in a brilliant finish at Hamilton today to win the first stage of the sixday cycle race from Auckland. Baird narrowly beat C. M. Simpson, the Olympic Games sprinter, who was just ahead of F. N. Geraghty. The winning time of 3hr 52min ssec was slower than last year's stage, which was favoured with a tail wind. This year's 38 riders had to face a head wind. Four riders had the finish completely to themselves last year, but today the race was most keenly disputed, with nearly all the favourites in the big leading bunch. Most riders, particularly the more favoured ones, had uneventful rides. There were, however, two spills. The first, and the worst, occurred just before Papatoetoe was reached, when R. Knaggs crashed into a drum where work on the road was being done. He grazed a leg and his back, but finished the race and is expected to start tomorrow. L. A. Parris (Auckland) ran into Knaggs and suffered a head injury when he fell. He also finished the race. The first eight riders in today's stage, with their actual riding times, were as follows: P. Baird (Auckland), 3hr 52min ssec, 1; C. M. Simpson (Auckland), 3hr 52min 6sec, 2; F. N. Geraghty (Waikato), 3hr 52min 6sec, 3; N. Perkinson (Auckland), 3hr 52min 6sec, 4; E. G. Lambert (Auckland), 3hr 52min 6sec, 5; A. W. Stonex (Auckland), 3hr 52min 6sec, 6; B. J. Howlett (Auckland), 3hr 52min 6sec, 7; L. Davies (Auckland), 3hr 52min 6sec, 8. Prizes.—Pukekoke: P. Baird 1, C. Nicol (Auckland) 2. Tuakau: Baird 1. Huntly: M. Matich 1. Ngaruawahia: L. Payne (Palmerston North) 1, Baird 2, Geraghty 3.