Brown Wins Stage, New Tour Leader

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31830, 7 November 1968, Page 13

Brown Wins Stage, New Tour Leader

(New Zealand Press Association) NEW PLYMOUTH. The New Zealand road cycling representative, D. Brown (New Plymouth), won the fifth stage of the Dulux six-day cycling tour, from Otorohanga to New Plymouth, yesterday.

His victory also gained Brown the overall lead and he will

wear the yellow jersey in today’s stage to Wanganui.

Brown leads by 3min Isec from the former Australian, D. Gee (Wellington), with the Olympic representative, N. R. Lyster (Wellington) third. The overnight leader, J. Broome (Auckland), has dropped to fifth place, smin 34sec behind Brown.

The 19-year-old Brown and another flrst-year senior, B. Pascoe (Waikato), rode away from the field over the last 50 miles in magnificent attacking rides. So strong was their attack that at one stage they were about seven minutes ahead. They finished five minutes in front of J. Atkinson (Invercargill), and this year’s Round the Mountain fastest time winner, M. Vertongen (Palmerston North), both of whom were given the same time of shr 45min 25sec.

There was another gap of 34sec to Gee, the Olympic representative, N. R. Lyster (Wellington), and Gee’s fellow New Zealand representative to New Caledonia recently. R. J. Hogan (Christchurch). These three were all given shr 45min 59sec.

The main bunch straggled in afterwards, and included Tuesday's leader, Broome, M. Davis (Auckland), and G. Croskcry (Gisborne). Brown had one puncture yesterday, in the Awakino Gorge, but it was not enough to stop him regaining the

bunch, taking the hill climb at Mount Messenger and beating Pascoe by one second in the sprint to the line. He has burst from tenth place to first in the over-all Classification. Four riders withdrew before the start of the fifth stage, including the New Caledonian, J. L. Clemen, who required medical attention at Hamilton the previous day. Yesterday’s results were:— General classification: D. Brown (New Plymouth), 17:3:37, 1; D. Gee (Wellington), 17:6:38, 2; N. Lyster (Wellington), 17:7:16, 3; M. Vertongen (Palmerston North), 17:8:39, 4; J,

Broome (Auckland), 17:9:1, 5: M. Davis (Auckland), 17:9:7, 6: G. Croskery (Gisborne). 17:9:38, 7; D. Thomson (Wellington), 17:10:23, 8: B. Pascoe (Waikato). 17:10:24, 9: B. McLean (Auckland), 17:10.34, 10. King of the mountains: A. Ineson (Invercargill), 26 points; Gee 21, J. Peoples (Poneke) 12, Pascoe 12, R. Driver (Auckland) 11. Fifth stage: Brown, 5:40:44, 1; Pascoe, 5:40:45, 2; J. Atkinson (Invercargill), 5:45:25, 3; Vertongen, 5:45:25, 4; Gee, 5:45:59, 5: Lyster, 5:45:59, 6; R. Hogan (Christchurch), 5:45:59, 7. Sprints.—Te Kultl J. Cummings (Poneke). Urenl: Pascoe. Waitara: Pascoe. Hill Climbs.—Te Kultl: Driver. Mangaotaki: Driver: Mount Messenger: Brown.