MAKING TOUR

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31539, 29 November 1967, Page 19

MAKING TOUR

The world-class Italian track cyclists, G. Turrini and L. Roncaglia, will not be touring New Zealand this season. However, two Germans of equal standing, K. Kobusch and K. H. Henrichs, will compete in the major South Island centres and Wanganui, the secretary of the Christchurch Track Cycling Committee (Mr W. S, Williams) said yesterday.

KLAUS KOBUSCH, 26, is re-1 nowned as one of the roughest riders in Europe and this year was disqualified in the world tandem championships. His most notable performance in European and world competition have been in tandem races and after finishing second in the 1963 West German championship, was first in 1964. He was also third at the Tokyo Olympics in the tandem and was second in the 1966 world title.

A member of the West German national team since 1960, Kobusch has won 11 national titles in various events. In each of the last two years he has won the European madison championship and has also had success in West German omnium titles in 1963-64 (first) and 1964-65 (second).

A sprinter probably fit to rank with Turrini. Kobusch has reached the last eight of the world championships in each of the last two years and won the first Aces scratch race at the Melbourne Velodrome recently.

KARL-HEINZ HENRICHS, 25 is described as being very similar to Roncaglia—who, publicised as lacking a sprint, proved good enough for the New Zealanders he met. Second in the West German 1000 metres time trial in 1964, Henrichs met Kobusch for the 1964-65 West German omnium title. However, he has been most prominent in teams’ pursuits—an event in which Roncaglia was also prominent. In 1963, Henrichs was a member of the West German pursuit team which was runner-up in the world championships, and the following year was a member of the team which went one better and was first. The same team also won the 1964 Olympic title at Tokyo. ‘The team has slipped slightly from grace in recent years but, with Henrichs a member, was still second in the 1966 world championships and third I this year.