SIX-DAY RACE

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31775, 4 September 1968, Page 17

SIX-DAY RACE

Delay For

N.Z. Team

To enable members of the Olympic cycling team to enter New Zealand’s longest and toughest cycling tour, after their return from Mexico, the Dulux six-day race will be held a little later than usual this year. It will start in Auckland on November 4 and finish in Wellington on November 9.

“Several of the Olympic team riders have been star performers in past Dulux races and because we would like to see them in this year's race, the slart has been deferred,” Mr A. A. Pennington, organiser of the six-day race, said yesterday.

At the same time Mr Pennington announced a major change in this year’s race. “In past years the 21-mile time trial between Palmerston North and Shannon has tended to dominate the final stages of the race and accordingly we have decided to drop it this year in favour of an ordinary massed start stage of 30 miles.

“This will give added interest to the final stage,” said Mr Pennington, “for the winner will no longer be a foregone conclusion as has been the case in past races.” Those who perform well against the clock will still have an opportunity to gain time, however, for the preliminary stage to be held in Auckland on the Sunday before the race starts will be converted into a time trial and is being extended to cover almost eight miles.