4sec between Dulux leaders

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33061, 31 October 1972, Page 28

4sec between Dulux leaders

(New Zealand Press Association

TAURANGA.

The Dulux six-day cycle race has the makings of a close and exciting event. A mere four seconds separated the top three riders after the first two stages yesterday.

The riders fighting over the yellow jersey for the tour leader are M. J. Hughes (Invercargill); the winner last year, V. J. Hanaray (Hastings), and B. N. Ulyatt (Hastings).

Hughes, who is in his first Dulux race, played the consistency game in the early stages, and has been rewarded by wearing the yellow jersey after gaining a second in the five-mile time-trial in Auckland on Sunday, ninth placing in Stage One from Auckland to Paeroa, and third in Stage Two from Paeroa to Tauranga. Hughes finished the first day with a general classification of shr 7min 21sec. Hot on his heels in the Olympic rider, Hanaray, who is two seconds behind. He had to make up for lost time in the second stage after gaining tenth placing in the first stage, and flashed across the finishing line at Tauranga a wheel length behind the stage winner, Ulyatt. For the 51-mile second stage, Ulyatt recorded a time of 2hr 13min 05sec, and Hanaray was one second behind. Hughes was alongside Hanaray at the finish, and was credited with the same time.

Ulyatt, a New Zealand representative, rode a disappointing race in the 79-miie Stage One by finishing out of the first six'placings, but he made amends by winning the second stage. The feature of the first day was the fine solo ride by B. R, Cornish (Wellington). In his fifth year of riding in the

i Dulux, Cornish broke away from the field in the first 'stage, 15 miles out of Auck- | land, and was never again I sighted by the field. STAGE RECORD He rode a powerful race to finish the stage in the record time of 2hr 43min 47sec, to be 16 seconds under the previous record held by J. A. Dean (Wellington) in 1970. Cornish made his break at Ngatea and finished 45 seconds ahead of the pursuing bunch, which included the 1968 winner, D. Brown (New Plymouth). J. I. Ryder (Timaru) was fourth and P. Neale (Canterbury) fifth. Brown is making a comeback to the Dulux after a three-year lay-off, but he put himself out of reckoning in the general classification by finishing at the end of the field in Stage Two minutes behind the leaders. He punctured in the Athenree Gorge and lost valuable time. The gorge also claimed another victim when the New Caledonian, C. Limousin, crashed, to be the first casualty of the tour. He received leg injuries and it is uncertain whether he will continue in the race.

Stage Two was a threehorse race. Ulyatt, Hanaray, and Hughes broke away from the field, 12 miles out of Paeroa, and the threesome was not pegged back. Ulyatt did the same last year on the same stage. He broke first, but Hughes and Hanaray jumped too.

FINAL KICK They rode side by side for almost the rest of the stage, and at the finish it was Ulyatt who had the final flying kick. The leaders crossed the finishing line Imin 45sec ahead of the next two— Jeffrey Ludlam (Taumarunui) and K. Collins (Wellington). They had a great tussle and finished together to be credited with the same time of 2hr 14min 51sec.

In his quest for his second successive Dulux title Hanaray is not quite happy with his riding. “I don’t seem to have any fire—l’ve just come back from Munich and I still haven’t got over it” One rider has already pulled out of the race. Robb did not finish the second stage. The field is now down to 28, with Limousin uncertain.

The third stage will be from Tauranga to Morrinsville this morning. Results after the first day were:—

General classification.—M. J. Hughes (Invercargill), 5:07:21, 1; V. J. Hanaray (Hastings), 5:0<:23, 2; B. N. Ulyatt (Hastings), 5:07:25, 23: B. K. Cornish (Wellington), 5:08:11, 4; J. Ludlam (Tauniarunui), 5:08:33, 5; P. F. Neale (Canterbury), 5:09:14, 6; R. Loquet (New Caledonia), 5:09:15, 7; K. Collins (Wellington), 5:09:21, 8; B. G. Stockwell (Christchurch). 5:09:57, 9; G. de Maria (New Caledonia), 5:10:01, 10. Stage one (Auckland to Paeroa, 79 miles).—B. Cornish, 2:43:47, 1; Ludlam and J. Loquet both 2:44:35, (equal) 2; J. I. Ryder (Timaru). 2:44:35, 4; P. Neale, 2:44:35, 5; D. Brown (New Plymouth), 2:44:35, 6. Manurewa sprint: Ludlam 1, Hanaray 2, R. Cheatley (Wanganui) 3. Papakura sprint: V. Richards (Auckland) 1, Hanaray 2, G. V. Neale (Canterbury) 3. Ngatea sprint: P. Neale 1, Ludlam 2, Cornish 3. Bombay Hill climb: Brown 1, Loquet 2, Ryder 3.

Stage two (Paeroa to Tauranga, 51 miles).—Ulyatt, 2:13:05, 1; Hanaray 2:13:06, 2; Hughes, 2:13:06, 3; Ludlam. 2:14:51, 4; Collins, 2:14:51, 5; De Marla, 2:15:07, 6. Waihi sprint: Ulyatt 1. Stockwell 2, B. Pitcher (Auckland) 3. Katikatl sprint: D. Manssen (Palmerston North) 1, A. D. Morris (Canterbury) 2, J. Macdonnell (Wanganui) 3,