Good ride by N.Z. teenager

Press, 22 July 1976, Page 14

Good ride by N.Z. teenager

By Ron Palenski NZPA staff correspondent Montreal

The New Zealand cyclist, Mike Richards, will need to ride about four or five seconds faster than his qualifying time when he meets Jan Iversen, of Norway, in the eighth-finals of the 4000 metres individual pursuit at the Olympic velodrome today. Richards, only 17 and inexperienced at this level, was the ninth fastest qualifier in the first round yesterday with 4min 55.085ec — just under four seconds slower than his New Zealand record. But Richards and the New Zealand team coach (Mr Wayne Thorpe), are both confident the time will come down.

“He’s a very, capable rider

and beating the Norwegian is not beyond him,” Mr Thorpe said. Inversen was the eighth fastest of the 16 qualifiers, with a time of 4min 51.855ec.

Other cyclists were amazed to learn that when the tall Richards took his outsized bike to the start line yesterday, he was beginning his first competitive ride over the distance. His three previous 4000 metre times were all recorded without opposition, and the individual pursuit in the world junior titles — in which Richards was third — was onlv over 3000 metres. “He’s” just a kid alongside these other blokes.” Mr Thorpe said. "Some of them have been around for years and know all the tricks. But Mike’s got the speed and that’s what counts in this event.”

It was entirely speed and

not tactics which counted yesterday. Although each rider had opposition on the track, the clock was the main opponent as each of the 27 starters strived to be among the fastest 16. Richards had a slow first lap after mistiming the start and then hitting a foamrubber track marker, but the second he lost there he made up for on the second lap and he was back on the 4min 50sec schedule Mr Thorpe had set for him. He slowed in mid-race but came back with a strong final kilometre.

“The speed he showed at the finish was a good sign,” Mr Thorpe said. “If he can finish as fast as that every time, he won’t have many worries.”

On yesterday’s performances, Richards will need at least a 10-second improvement if he is to be a medal chance. The fastest qualifier

was Vladimir Osokin, of Russia, in 4min 48.315ec — three seconds slower than the Norwegian Knut Knudsen’s winning time in Munich.

One of the major surprises was the elimination of one of the medal prospects, lan Hallam of Britain. He won the Commonwealth Games individual pursuit gold medal and a bronze in Munich, but he was too ambitious yesterday, and “blew up" after a fast start.