Junior Race Dominated By Southland Riders

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31542, 2 December 1967, Page 15

Junior Race Dominated By Southland Riders

(From Our Cycling Reporter)

WANGANUI.

The Southland contingent of three riders, filling first, third and fourth places, dominated the New Zealand junior 50-mile road cycling championship yesterday.

The title was won by R. J. Robinson, with the Canterbury junior, J. I. Ryder, finishing fifth.

Ryder and the other Canterbury representative, B. G. Stockwell, were involved in a magnificent and crucial breakaway after only 23 of the 50 miles. This bunch of eight, later seven, was never caught Ryder surprised with his high placing, while Stockwell, one of those chiefly responsible for the large break, was caught at the back in the sprint and finished seventh. The strong Waikato junior, B. W. Slater, made the sprint a long one and it was only just short of the line that Robinson, a very good track sprinter, caught him. Ryder was closing the gap to the other Southland riders but

could not bridge it quite fast enough. The junior race was one of the best at a national championship. In the second lap (there were seven to the 50 miles) a breakaway of Robinson, L. A. Cooper (Wellington), J. Berkum (East CoastNorth Island) and D. J. Bell (West Coast-North Island) built a lead of 200 yards, but it was shortlived.

Nothing more of any significance occurred until the breakaway dominated by South Island riders. The group, comprising the Southland and Canterbury cyclists. Slater, B. Biddle (Auckland) and K. Collins (Wellington) held a lead of Imin lOsec after 37 miles and it was apparent then that the race favourite, M. F. Vertongen (W.C.N.1.) had missed his chance for the second successive year.

M. J. Cague, the Timaru rider, had the misfortune to be mixed up in an accident in the first lap and although he continued, he had little chance of regaining the bunch. G. J. Day and A. A. Paviell withdrew before the finish but D. B. Hewson, K. A Lamb and G. S. McLeod were all in the buneh.

The best performed of the Canterbury riders in the 15mile boys’ championship were D. N. McEvoy and P. D. Brydon. In a tremendously tight finish, McEvoy just pipped Brydon on the line for seventh place, and they were less than two lengths behind the winner, P. J. Harland (Auckland). Results:— Junior Championship.—R. J. Robinson (Southland), 1; B. W. Slater (Waikato), 2; J. W. Adams (Southland), 3; G. J. Atkinson (Southland), 4; J. 1. Ryder (Canterbury), 5; B. Biddle (Auckland), 6; B. G. Stockwell (Canterbury), 7; L. A. Cooper (Wellington), 8: C. McLean (Anckland), 9: M. F. Vertongen (W.C.N.1.). 10. Time, 2:0:51. Boys’ Championship.—P. J. Harland (Auckland), 1; B. D. Lambert (Wellington), 2: A. W J. Sharrock (W.C.N.1.), 3; B. Sheehan (Southland), 4; G. Edmunds (E.C.N.1.), 5; R. D. Nant (W.C.N.1.), 6; D. N. McEvoy (Canterbury), 7; P. D. Brydon (Canterbury), 8. Time, 35.00.