Alexander wins tough hills race

Press, 18 October 1976, Page 25

Alexander wins tough hills race

The speedy slopes of the Lyttelton Harbour Road were more than the handicapper could handle on Saturday. The annual Open Hills Handicap, a 40km cycling race that is the nearest approaoh to the old Round the Harbour, was won in splendid style by Nigel Alexander, from his comarker, Mark Fortune. Their success was hardearned and well-deserved but the margin of victory did not do credit to two very capable juniors. They were both off the 21min mark, but as it hapened—and as knowledge of their abilities would have dictated—a 9min start from the best of the Scratch riders, James Sampson, would have sufficed.

Some of the handicapping was, Indeed, strange, and while the likes of Alexander and Fortune could consider themselves handsomely treated, others were harshly penalised. Certainly the worst-treated was Geoff Tutty, back on 12min behind several riders his superiors, but be was not alone.

To be sure, the major climbs —Evans and Gabbles Passes—and the intermediaries, such as Governor's Bay, Allandale, and the rest, make this a most difficult race to handicap, and the absence of several top riders at the Southland tour did not make things easier. But a little more thought and it could have been a much more entertaining race. At the back of the field, Sampson made sure it was not much .if a race. He stormed up Evans Pass, dropping Gavin Neale—.vhose strong point is not climbing such hills—and although Kevin Basher stayed there, It was not for long. Sampson got ■id of him for the last time mound Governor’s Bay and sasily won fastest time, for which there was no trophy. In front, there was no race either. Alexander and Fortune, befitting the handsome start they were given, were the easiest of victors, Just as John Stace coasted in for thtrd, and Sean Moran, performing consiswas equally well clear, fourth. ■vistlons used In the

results are Wooiston (W.), Papanui (P.), Hornby W.M.C. n' Alexander (W., 21min), 1:51:18, 1; M. J. Fortune <P„ 21mln), 2; J. C. Stace (P., 24min), 3; S. Moran (H„ 24min), 4; P. D. Basher (P., 14mln), 5l K. Page (P., ISmin), i; R. Prince (P., 12min), 7; K. Linton (W„ 16min), 8; M. Sutherland (W., ISmin), 9; D. R. Johnson (W., Sjmln), 10. Fastest time: J. A. Sampson (P, scr.), 1:42:64, 1. Following in the' cycling footsteps Of nis father and grandfather. Greg Shepherd on Saturday won the Malrehau 30km championship in a splendid sprint. Shepherd, who missed much of the early season because of a ski-lng accident which left him with both legs in plaster, avenged his club championship defeat at the hands of David Parsons by beating him and John Wild in the closest finish of the season.

But they did not have too much to spare from the strong 7min bunqh, which always appealed as a likely winner. It was the most consistent of the middle-mark bunches, and actually left the pursuing omin bunch by 20sec in the first hali of the race.

Martin Sanders duly sprinted home that bunch, but back In the marks, the most meritorioui effort came from Shane Smith He blew the break buneh apart took off with only Nick Purcel tagging along, and caught eaci of the two bunches in front But it was the gross misfortune of Smith that Purcell should wir a higher sprint placing and wltl it fastest time, llsec clear ol the first of the scratch riders Tony Strang.

Results:— 30km classic.—G. Shepherd (Umln) 1, D. Parsons (llmin . J. Wild (llmin) 3. S. Burden (9mln) 4, M. Sanders (7min) 5 B. Hulbert iTmin) «, K. Verdeller (9min) 7, M. P. Nichols (7min 8, P, McEntee (9mln) 9, R. Kostei rf MW:N.Puroen(2min) 46:32, 1; S. D. Smith (2min 46:33, 2; A. J. Strang (scr.) 46:43. 3.