Cycle Tour Favourite

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31832, 9 November 1968, Page 17

Cycle Tour Favourite

(N.Z. Press Association) PALMERSTON NTH.

The 19-year-old New Plymouth rider, D. Brown, a New Zealand representative, will begin the final stretch today a strong favourite to win the Dulux six-day cycling tour from Auckland to Wellington.

Finishing ninth in the morning and fourth in the afternoon, and with the leading bunches in both stages. Brown retained his lead in the overall classification.

He will go into the last day 3mln 3sec ahead of the Wellington rider, D. Gee, and a further 33sec in front of the Olympic representative, N. R. Lyster. M. Vertongen (Palmerston North), M. Davis (Auckland), D. R. Thomson (Wellington), J. Broome (Auckland) and A. Ineson (Invercargill) follow them home. H. Kent (Wellington) and

Ineson rode away from the field in the morning, from Wanganui to Palmerston North, Kent taking the honours.

After leaving Wanganui the field stayed together for nearly 25 miles. Just before Whangauhu hill Brown had a puncture.

Sensing this as their chance, the leaders poured on the pressure but Brown, a magnificent rider, caught them before the next hill climb at Turakina.

However, the effort of catching' the field on his own seemed to take a lot out of Brown and he stayed with the bunch when first Ineson, and then Kent, broke away. They went through Feilding together, Imin 25sec ahead of the field, and Kent edged out Ineson in the sprint. Lyster beat Vertogen for third place, and they were followed by Gee, C. Whitely (Auckland), N. Comaille (New Caledonia), Davis and Brown. The afternoon’s 30-mile stage was very quiet until with 10 miles remaining Ineson and S. Watts (Palmerston North) attempted to slip the

field. They opened up a gap of Lssec but later were overhauled by the bunch. With two miles to go, Whitely and R. J?~ Hogan (Christchurch) went into a slight lead. As the pace increased Whitely was left on his own, and although the main bunch formed behind him, he managed to hang on to take the line honours. Kent finished second, Vertogen third, and Brown held off the rest for fourth placing. Yesterday’s results were: Seventh Stage.—H. Kent (Wellington), -3:2.29, 1: A. Ineson (Invercargill), 2:2.21, 2; N. R. Lyster <Wemngton), 2:3:59. 3; M. Vertongen (New Plymouth), 2:3.39, 4; D. Gee (Wellington). 2:3.39, 5: C. Whitely (Auckland). 2:3.39. «.

Hill Climbs.—Whangaehu: D Thompson (Wellington). Tura kina: Gee.

Sprints.—Marton: B. Whale (Marton). Feilding: Kent. Eighth Stage. Whitely, 1:6:47, 1; Kent, 2; Vertongen. 3: Brown, 4; R. Loquet (New Caledonia), 5; Lyster. 6; Gee, 7. Time Ihr Smin 47sec. Over-all Classification. Brown, 24:12:56, 1; Gee, 24:15:59, 2; Lyster, 24:16:32, 3; Vertongen. 24:17:53, 4: M. Davis (Auckland), 24:18:28, 5; Thomson, 24:18:30, 6; J. Broome (Auckland), 24:19:13, 7; Ineson 24:19:33, 8.