WORLD SPRINT TITLE

Press, Volume XCIV, Issue 28080, 22 September 1956, Page 2

WORLD SPRINT TITLE

CYCLING

ITALIAN’S WIN AT COPENHAGEN STRONG ATTEMPT BY R. HARRIS A. Maspes (Italy) won the world professional sprint championship when he beat R. Harris (Britain) at Copenhagen on September 2. Britain’s cycling supporters had great hopes that Harris would regain the title for England. Both Maspes and Harris reached the semi-finals with three straight wins, and in his semi-final against W. Polzernheim (Germany). Maspes won in two straight races to enter the final. •Harris was less fortunate in his semifinal when he was up against the unorthodox rider. O. Plattner (Switzerland). Four sprints had to be run before a decision was reached. It was in favour of Harris, but these hard races tired him. Harris won the first sprint against Plattner. but only after a re-run because Plattner stopped in the back straight. In the second sprint. Harris mastered Plattner, who rode on with his hand up in nrotest. Plattner alleged elbowing bv Harris, who w£s disqualified, but Danish officials, who watched the Incident at close quarters, said that it was Plattner who elbowed. They were over-ruled and Plattner was given the decision. In the third and deciding race, both riders were level at the 200-metre mark when Plattner ran high from the sprinting line and Harris had to go to the rails with hi"'. Plattner then went down the last banking for a three-length lead. Harris gave chase, but was again elbowed and lost by inches. Harris protested successfully, but instead of Plattner being disnualified as Harris was. a re-run was ordered. In this race Harris took the initiative and went on to win by half a length. These four hard sprints left Harris very tired. Masnes had had a long rest after his two wins in his semi-final. Final Races In the first sprint. Maspes went past Harris in the back straight and won comfortably, but in the second sorint Harris strove desperately to equalise, and at the bell he held the lead on the first banking, and then drew away in the back straight to onen up a gap of four lengths. There was •till a little between them on the last, banking, but Maspes came on in the straight to win by inches. After winning five Grand Prix in a row, this was Harris’s first defeat. Harris is 36 and Maspes 24. Harris. was not disgraced in his last year of international racing. Other Titles For 44 years the 100 kilometre motorpaced title hns remained in Europe, but this year a Tasmanian. Graham French, won it. French was paced by G. Grolemund, and these two made a brilliant team. G. Timoner (Spain), who finished second, was the holder of the title.

G. Messina, of Italy, won the work' pursuit title for the third time. In 1948. aged 17. he was the world’s amateur chamr.’r>in. and he tnnk the title again in 1953 after two third places. Since turning professional at the end of that '■ear. he has won three times, which had not been achieved since the championships were inaugurated in 1948. The results were:— Sorint Championship.—A. Maspes (Italy) 1. R. Harrs (Britain) 2. O. Plattner (Switzerland' 3, W. Polzernheim (Germany) 4. Pursuit Championship.—G Messina (Italv) 1. j. Anouetil (France) 2. K. W Neilsen (Denmark) 3. R. Strehler (Switzerland) 4. Motor-paced Championshin.— g. French <Australia) 1. G. Timoner (Spain) 2, W Hiicher (Switzerland) 3. A. Verschueren (Belgium) 4.