N.Z. cyclists win classic

Press, 20 August 1979, Page 34

N.Z. cyclists win classic

NZPA Hobart The New Zealand cycling team was regarded with new respect in Tasmania on Saturday evening after its complete dominance over the classic Launceston to Hobart 185 km race. As well as the visitors’ r a c e-long superiority, Kevin Blackwell became the only New Zealander since John Dean, 13 years ago, to win any of the race honours. Blackwell emulated his predecessor by also winning the handicap race and taking fastest time.

The only non-New Zealander on scratch was the well-performed Victorian, Arch Sanonetti, but he blew with 50km still to ride.

Toni Home (after 90km) and Blackwell (160 km took the intermediate time sprints, and Blackwell, Home, Vem Hanaray, and Mark Nicols took the fastest time placings. The scratch markers, though a little uneven for a start, swiftly picked up the next two bunches in the gusting head wind. However, with only 60km to ride, Blackwell, in company with the Victorian break marker, Roy McCork, slipped away

from the growing bunch in pursuit of the few remaining middle markers. Within 10km, as Blackwell and McCork sat a mere 40s clear, Hanaray made his bid to join them. Tony Songhurst, one of the two juniors in the New Zealand team, tried mightily to join him without success and it was Home who kicked up to join Hanaray, but they could make little impact on Blackwell and as they jointly blew young Nichols worked his way up to them and became the senior partner with Hanaray sitting on, though still sprinting well enough to take the silver tray and goblets for third-fastest time. However, they were smin 25s behind Blackwell at the finish, whose time was 4hr 47min 12s.

Home was thirteenth, Hanaray, competing in Tasmania independently of the official New Zealand team, fourteenth, and Nichols, riding the longest and hardest single stage race of his brief career, fifteenth.

Longhurst and Robin Stokell both withdrew after 150 km, having missed the break and chase.