Swart wins cycle tour

Press, 24 October 1978, Page 28

Swart wins cycle tour

PA Palmerston North Jack Swart proved that he is one of New Zealand’s best road cyclists when the Tour of the Manawatu finished yesterday. Swart raced away in the first stage of the day and then sat along with his two main challengers, Paul Jesson Canterbury) and Stephen Cox (Waikato), in the final stages of the tour. The final stage yesterday afternoon sorted out the field when the third-placed Kevin Blackwell punctured soon out of Bunnythorpe, lost the main bunch and then had to sit back while Swart, Jesson and Cox broke away from the main field and raced away with the tour.

Blackwell, a desperate chaser for the most part, had to suffer a penalty when he reached the finishing line for accepting a little help on the way through. This dropped him from third on general classification to last. Results:—

General classification.—J. Swart (Waikato), llhr 21min 555, 1; P. Jesson (Canterbury), at 545, 2;

S. Cox (Waikato), at Imln 48s, : G. Bell (Waikatoi, at 4min 575, ■ D. Bateman (Wellington), i ISrnln 455. 5; E. Dussieux (Ne Caledonia), at 22min 19s, fl; ) Keast (Canada), at 27min IPs < C. Captein (Waikato), at 29m 16s, 8; K. Rosemergy 'Waikat'. at 47min 495. 9; G. Parkes (Auel land), at 56min 12s, 19. Hot points: Blackwell 96. Swn 75. Cox 52, Jesson 47. Keast 3: Captein 28.

King of the mountains: Jesse 127, Cox 199 Swart 32. ilatem: 62, Bell 54, Roseme.-gy 47. Blac well 37. Dussieux 34. Mellscp 1 Keast 22.