R. Lucas Has Won 26 Cycling Titles

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28314, 27 June 1957, Page 15

R. Lucas Has Won 26 Cycling Titles

T>. Lucas has one of the greatest records of any present-day cyclist, for in the last four years he has won 26 championships, including three New Zealand, four South Island, and four provincial titles, as well as the Southland championship in 1956.

Lucas started his racing career as a novice at the age of 15 and in his first race was the first man home. As a novice he had 43 etarts for nine wins, six seconds, six

thirds and 25 fastest times.

On turning 16 he left the novice ranks

In open company as a junior took first place in the 25-mile New Zealand championship at Gfeymouth. During his years as a junior he scored many sucesses and riding from scratch often led home the senior riders to take both junior and senior fastest times. In his last race as a junior he took the South Island championship, which was a fitting climax to a brilliant career as a junior. In his first race as a senior a month later he was beaten only by a tyre by B. Woodgate for the New Zealand 25-mile championship. In this race, both he and Woodgate established a new New Zealand record of 54 minutes for the 25 miles. After

this great achievement Lucas carried on from success to success both on the road and on the track. One of his greatest feats was in 1955 in the Crofts Memorial championship over a distance of 30 miles when he succeeded in winning the event and in doing so took both junior and senior titles, a feat not before or since achieved in Canterbury. Until two weeks ago Lucas this season had recorded fastest time in all his races and once went through the field to win the event as well, from what seemed a hopeless position four miles from the finish. Lucas, who is now only 20 still has many years of racing ahead of him and from his records he

should develop into one of New Zealand’s leading cyclists both on the track and road. Only this year he gained his first national track title when he won the two miles pursuit event.

As a junior at 17, he was one of the scratch markers in the Timaru-to-Christchurch race, riding against some of the country’s best, and he acquitted himself well in taking the national junior title. With the form he has already shown this season he should have little difficulty in taking quite a few titles before the present road season closed, although he will meet with strong competition from D. Harrison, who is showing great improvement this season.