Leading Three Retain Cycle Tour Places

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31208, 4 November 1966, Page 15

Leading Three Retain Cycle Tour Places

(New Zealand Press Association) WANGANUI. The world champion rider, A. Ineson (Southland), yesterday edged out the Aucklander, W. Little, in a desperate, shoulder-to-shoulder sprint, to win the sixth stage of the six-day Dulux Auckland-to-Wellington cycle tour.

Ineson completed the 100-mile stage, from New Plymouth to Wanganui, in 3hr. 53min.

This was the second fastest time recorded for the sixth

stage of this seven-year-old classic road event. The Wanganui rider, D. Stowell, finished a gallant third, 44sec behind Ineson, after earlier establishing the biggest solo break of the tour. At one stage he was three minutes ahead, but Ineson and Little gradually overhauled the tiring Wanganui rider. With M. Powell (Australia), T. J. Tabak (Canterbury) and G. King (Auckland) finishing fourth, fifth and seventh, respectively, the leading three positions in the over-ail classifications were unchanged.

Tabak still leads, but only by four seconds from Powell. King is another nine seconds away.

This trio has a commanding, 4min 50sec advantage over the remainder of the 25man field, headed by Ineson, who moved up from ninth to fourth place. The only casualty yesterday was G. Grey, (Rotorua), a leader in the early part of the tour. Grey fell heavily on the sealed road, but was not badly injured. However, he was unable to repair his cycle in time to rejoin the race.

There are two stages today: a 52-mile massed start from Wanganui to Palmerston North, and the “test of strength,” a 21-mile time trial

from Palmerston North to Shannon. In five of the six previous tours, the winner of the time trial has also won the general classification. Results:— Over-all classification: T. Tabak (Canterbury), 19:24:50, 1; M. Powell (Australia), 19:24:54, 2; G. King (Auckland), 19:25:3, 3; A. Ineson (Southland), 19:30:13, 4; W. Little (Auckland), 19:30:14, 5; R. Jenkins (Australia), 19:31:0, 6. King of the mountains: R. D. Johnstone (Auckland), 29 points,, Tabak 26. Ineson 25, Jenkins and D. Stowell (Wanganui) 8. Sixth stage: Ineson, 3:53:0, 1; Little, 3:53:1, 2; Stowell, 3:53:44, 3; Powell, 3:55:10, 4; Tabak, 5, I. Anderson (Auckland) 6, King 7. Sprints.—lnglewood: A. Summers (Morrinsville). Stratford: Stowell. Eltham: Stowell. Hawere: Stowell. Patea: Stowell. Hill Climbs. Manawapou: Stowell. Kai Iwi: Ineson.