Canterbury cyclists control race final

Press, 31 July 1978, Page 19

Canterbury cyclists control race final

Cycling J

From

RAY CAIRNS

in Auckland

Just as it has dominated New Zealand cycling for the last decade, the under-

strength Canterbury team exercised the same control over the field in the Air New Zealand grand prix final in Auckland. Jim Ryder, who has an unequalled record in the series since it started 13 years ago (and who has not even ridden the scratch mark in Canterbury this season) won the grand prix by the splendid margin of 50s. Ryder’s closest challenger was Robert Oliver, of the East Coast-North Island. In 1971, these two won national representation for the first time, then as the result of an Air New Zealand grand prix, and that time the destination was New

Caledonia. Now these veterans of New Zealand cycling — Ryder went on to win a national title and further New Zealand representation, Oliver slipped from the scene after the Munich Olympics — are off to the tour of Tasmania and other events in Australia, including the rich Grafton to Inverell classic.

They will be joined by the Auckland junior, Matthew McKinnell, also an automatic selection because of his third place in general classification, 55s down; Toni Home, the Canterbury firstyear senior who showed himself a stage winner by leading the rest across the line twice yesterday, and the experienced Aucklander, Wayne Perkinson.

Plenty) and Mike Bosom-1 worth, a iunior from the same centre.

Even if it supplied only two for the national team, the little Canterbury team had much cause for satisfaction. Home’s last-day efforts propelled him to fifth on general classification (he was eighth overnight) and the junior, Bruce Brunton, clung tenaciously to sixth, his best national performance. Brunton had the initiative to slip clear of the field in the third stage on Saturday, the stage in which Oliver and McKinnell got themselves into the race, and to take third. He was able to ride away during the tough final stage to win valuable bonus seconds on the hill

climb. Mark Nichols, effectively the only other member of the team, finished with the bunch in each of the first two stages, and finally only threw in the windswept third stage after many more seasoned men, including Chris Hogan, had gone. In the fourth stage, he all but slipped away for fourth then wisely withdrew during the

final <iage. Hogan rode the early stages of the tour like the tour leader he was. He joined the break initiated by Ryder early in the first stage, and was a winner of the spring, Ryder second just by way of a bonus. Hogan was the only Canterbury team member to suffer any sort of trouble for he had a stiff link in his chain

The non-travelling re- which cost him the two hill in order, are Clem climbs; in the fifth stage, he Captein (Waikato-Bay of J snapped a crank axle with

'only 6km to ride, but gained the bunch on Cum ming's bike. There was a break in the second stage too, Captein. Bosomworth and Robin Sto kell forcing their way 40sec clear. But only Bosomworth featured much from then on Captein hit a car and wrecked his bicycle frame, j finishing but losing too i much time; and Stokell blew lin company with many. Oliver and McKinnell dominated the third stage, but there was a Canterbury flavour to the 35km fourth stage yesterday morning. ,Trevor Hyde, of Auckland, slipped away in the final 4km, but Hogan, consistently the best on the hills, gathered him in just as Home was gathering in Hogan, and Horne won the sprint with ridiculous ease. For doing a victory wave, Horne was relegated to third, which cost him a ssec bonus, and Hyde was given the stage. But Horne stamped his claim on the day when he won the final hill climb bj 20m, and took off to win the stage by 13sec, Wayne Parkinson (Auckland) heading the rest, from Captein, Brunton, Ryder and Oliver.

Bosomworth held to fourth, and after Horne and Brunton, Imin Isec and Imin 18sec down respectively, came Hyde at Imin 40sec, Perkinson at Imin 41sec, Benny van der Griend (Auckland) at Imin 46sec. and they were followed, a little over 2min down, by the Southland veteran, Barry Harcourt, and the Otago junior, Michael Qum. Hogan was fourteenth, 4min 26sec down on Ryder.