Tabak Shares Cycle Lead

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31206, 2 November 1966, Page 19

Tabak Shares Cycle Lead

(New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND. The Canterbury and Commonwealth Games rider, T. J. Tabak, is joint leader with the Australian, M. Powell, after the second day of the Dulux Auckland-to-Wellington six-day cvcle race.

Tabak won the third stage (TaurangaHamilton) yesterday morning and Powell tied the fourth stage (Hamilton- Otorohanga) in the afternoon. when Tabak finished fifth.

Tabak and Powell share an over-all time of lOhr 21min 24sec, one second ahead of G. Grey (Waikato). Only 14sec separate the leading six riders.

Powell, who has been riding consistently and finishing strongly, fought out a desperate dual at the end of the fourth section with Grey, and the judges finally declared the stage a dead-heat. Main Street Sprint Tabak was less than a wheel away at the finish of the stage, in which five men surged abreast up the main street of Otorohanga, but he was placed fifth. His Australian rival shared 16 bonus seconds with Grey. He was thus able to move from the second placing he held on Monday to first equal on general classification with the Canterbury rider. In the morning, Tabak outsprinted 17 others in a hectic final sprint to win the third stage. Tabak broke away at Matamata, 30 miles from the finish. On a long, flat section he rode away from the bunch. For nearly 30 miles he was alone, his rivals several times clocking 30 miles an hour to keep in contact. Lead Dwindled His lead of more than 60sec dwindled to only 35 as Tabak struggled up the long, winding hill into Cambridge, but he was still in front for the Cambridge prime. Just past Cambridge he was overhauled by R. D. Johnstone, W. Little and M. Grace.

King of the mountain points: Johnstone and Tabak, 10: J, Danielson (Christchurch), 8.

In the frantic finish, Tabak won by inches from Little, T. Savamaki (Australia), Johnstone, Grey, and A. Ineson (Southland). Results: —

Over-all classifications: M. Powell (Aust), and T. Tabak (Christchlurch), 10:21:24, 1; G. Grey (Rotorua), 10:21:28, 3; G. King (Papatoetoe), 10:21:29, 4: W. Little (Palmerston North), 10:21:35, 5; R. D. Johnston (Point Chevalier), 10:21:38, 6.

Third stage (68 miles): Tabak 1, Little 2, T. Savimaki (Aust.) 3, Johnstone 4, Grey 5. Time, 3:3:35.

Fourth stage (36 miles): Grey and Powell (equal) 1, Savimaki 3. M. G. Grace (Auckland) 4, Tabak 5. Time, 1:31:8.

Kaimai hill climb: Johnstone. Matamata sprint: N. Scott 'Auckland). Cambridge sprint: Tabak. Te Awamutu sprint: B. J. Roberts (Auckland).