Biddle 4th In Tour Stage

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32362, 30 July 1970, Page 19

Biddle 4th In Tour Stage

(N.Z.P.A. Staff Correspondent?

LEVEN (Scotland).

Despite still feeling the effects of the gruelling Commonwealth Games road race on Saturday, New Zealand’s top two road cyclists, Bruce Biddle and Bryce Beeston, made strong starts to the Tour of Scotland yesterday.

Biddle, as he did on Saturday when he won the Gaines title, joined the winning breakaway group, and finished equal sixth. Beeston was in the next bunch sprint and was twenty-sixth.

“My legs still feel tired from Saturday and I had a headache all through the stage.” Canadian Team-mate Beeston added: “I suffered on the climbs, and the first 50 miles were agony. But 1 rode myself back in on this stage and feel fine now.” Norman Lowe, the Canadian world championships rider who is a guest in the New Zealand team, finished comfortably in the same bunch as Beeston. The winning breakaway group made its move after 58 miles, and it was a long, hard slog to establish the eventual comfortable lead. But as the Dutch and the Poles each had three riders present, there was always a very good chance of the group staying clear. So it proved, and after 20 miles hard work, the lead was two minutes.

The stage was won by the Dutchman, Ben Janbroers, from his team-mate, Wim Bravenboer, and the Netherlands lead the teams* event. Biddle and Beeston both spoke with feeling of the two tough climbs the riders met after only nine and 30 miles, and which were responsible for shaking off two of the New Zealanders, Max Vertogen and Garry Beuth. “Those first two climbs were murder,” Biddle said.

When it came to the finish, Biddle made no serious effort to go with the Continentals, and was content to pedal in at the tail-end of the bunch.