Young rider makes mark

Press, 27 August 1979, Page 19

Young rider makes mark

NZPA Tasmania While the experienced John Trevorrow was demonstrating all his climbing, sprinting, and general skills to dominate the Tasmanian cycling tour on Saturday, one young New Zealander was ensuring himself healthy respect every time he races in Australia. Mark Nichols, aged 17, finished eighth in general classification in this gruelling tour, and his was the best performance of the Air New Zealand team in the 812 km, four-day tour. The feat which earned most respect for young Nichols was at the much-discussed Pepper Hill Tliis was a climb to be tackled only in the smallest of gears, according to all the talk, and special sprockets were being fitted. A gearing of 50 or 51 inches was needed, it was said, but Nichols was content with a 54. What is more, he said the night before he would be first over the top. and so it nearly was. But Vern Hanaray had broken awav skm earlier, and all Nichols was doing was catching Hanaray, and dropping the rest of the field.

He was not able to stay clear on the 10km to Rossarden, and was fourth in the stage, w’hich was won by Trevorrow. Kevin Blackwell and Robin Stokell lost

their placings. Blackwell, as he expected, lost time on the climb and dropped away to eleventh in general classification, and Stockell went to fifteenth, seven minutes down. Worse was to come for Blackwell on the dangerous descent from Rossarden at the beginnings of the next and penultimate stage. On the gritty, pot-holed roads, he punctured three times —virtually the end of the tour for Blackwell. Nichols crashed too on the descent, but he was quickly, back and forming a consortium of 16, including Stokell, which finished nearly three minutes clear of the rest of the field. The final stage was something of a procession back to Launceston from George Town, and Trevorrow won yet again, this time from David Gee, well known in New Zealand cycling. Hanaray, not a member of the Air New Zealand team, had an outstanding last day. He broke clear to win the stage to George Town, and comfortably held his fourth over all placing, Imin 51sec behind Trevorrow. with Wayne Roberts, a Tasmanian professional. in second place at 31sec, and Arch Sansonetti (Victoria. amateur) third at 66see. Roberts, Hanaray and Peter Besanko filled the minor placings in the King of the Mountains, behind Trevorrow, and in fifth place was Nichols.