Stockwell back in lead, by 4½min

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33063, 2 November 1972, Page 26

Stockwell back in lead, by 4½min

<New Zealand Press Association)

NEW PLYMOUTH.

The Olympic representative, B. G. Stockwell (Canterbury), and D. Brown (New Plymouth), the winner in 1968, were the heroes of the 113-mile fifth stage, from Otorohanga to New Plymouth, in the Dulux six-day road cycling race yesterday.

Stockwell and Brown broke away from the field in a magnificent show of strength through the Awakino Gorge, more than 50 miles from the stage finish.

They swept over Mount Messenger, a gruelling climb of more than 1000 feet, and had the various stage sprints to themselves until the finish where Brown beat Stockwell by three seconds. Stockwell’s effort, however, regained him the tour lead, which he held at the start last Monday after winning the time trial pipeopener at Auckland. He improved eight places in the general classification and holds first position by 4min

40sec from J. Ludlam i (Taumarunui). He is 9min 26sec ahead of ' the third man, B. N. Ulyatt, I while last year’s winner, V. J. Hanaray (Hastings), is a : further 23sec away in fourth i place. Brown also improved his i standing eight places, from : eighteenth to tenth. But he is more than 19 minutes be-

hind Stockwell. Brown, how-, ever, is co-leader of the King of the Mountains contest, with J. I. Ryder (Timaru). EARLY DOMINANCE Ryder also had a great ride yesterday. He dominated the eariy section, winning three sprints and the Mangaotaki hill climb. He then stayed close enough behind Brown and Stockwell to take several third placings over the latter

stages. Ryder and Ludlam finished six minutes behind Brown, and Hanaray led the main bunch in the sprint to the finish, 12 minutes behind, from V. R. Richards (Auckland), M. J. Hughes (Invercargill) and Ulyatt. Two more of the New Caledonian team, J. Bonnard and R. Loquet, dropped out of the race yesterday, both retiring before reaching Mount Messenger. There are now only three of the original eight members of the New Caledonian

(team left, with J. G. Sikan ■doing best in eleventh place, but more than 21 minutes behind Stockwell. Today, the remaining 21 riders will contest a time trial over 12 miles from New Plymouth to Inglewood, and then ride over 83 miles from Inglewood to Wanganui. Yesterday’s results were:—

General classification.—B. G. Stockwell (Christchurch), 15:41:7, 1; J. Ludlam (Taumarunui), 15:45:47, 2: B. V. Ulyatt (Hast ings), 15:50:33. 3; V. J. Hanaray (Hastings), 15:50:56, 4; M. J. Hughes (Invercargill), 15:50:58. 5: B. R. Cornish (Wellington). 15:51:48, 6; K. Collins (Wellington), 15:52:47, 7: P. F. Neale (Christchurch), 15:52:51, 8; A. D. Morris (Canterbury), 15:53:45. 9; D. Brown (New Plymouth), 15:58:29, 10. King pi the Mountains.— Brown, J. 1. Ryder (Timaru), 33 points; Ludlam, 13; Stockwell, 8; Hanaray, 6.

Fifth-stage finish. — Brown, 5:21:25, 1: Stockwell, 5:21:28, 2; Ryder, 5:27:25. 3; Ludlam, 5:27:25, 4; Hanaray, 5:33:45, 5; Richards, 5:33:45, 6.