Flattery wins first Canterbury title

Press, 22 September 1980, Page 18

Flattery wins first Canterbury title

By

RAY CAIRNS

Paul Flattery has twice represented New Zealand in a cycling career which stretches; back six years, most recently this season, and he has won his -share of n a t i 0 n a 1 championshhip medals.

But it took Flattery until yesterday, at Halswell, to win his first Canterbury championship, the. senior 164 km title.

Flattery broke away with half the distance to ride and for the remaining- half of the race all he had for company was his support vehicle, carrying his parents and a referee. But he settled into a steady, consistent rhythm which was far from the lot of those behind him, was alternatively all but caught and then comfortably clear, and at the finish was Imin 45s in front of his Velo Carpet Market club-mates, Russell Nant and Bruce Brunton, Blair Stockwell being the- only other rider with them.

It was a win of the utmost credit to Flattery. Although the course is one of the most undemanding ' in

Canterbury, it was made more difficult yesterday by the quite severe wind along the Sparks Road straight and it was there that Flattery could have used some lapping assistance. But he stuck to his task doggedly and never wavered in his. single-minded approach to the task. There were more comings and goings back in the bunch as Flattery’s clubmates steadily attained a majority. They did not have it all the way but when the “pursuing” bunch was down to 10, five of them were removed in one fell swoop, with 60km to ride: the Timaru trio of Wayne Howes, Warren Meggitt, and Brian Thin, plus Brent Kircher and Peter Lewis, all crashed and were out of any contention although none was seriously injured. That left just Nant, Brunton, Stockwell, Peter Goding, and Jim Ryder. By 33km to go, Ryder had gone and with 20km”to ride, so had Goding. There was not much Stockwell could do. - " J " ' ' The onus. was.on him’ to do the chasing and with that much energy used, Nant

made one or two testing attacks in the final two laps. Stockwell was equal to those but not to the combined sprinting power of Nant and Brunton at the finish.

Flattery’s advantages make erratic reading. With nine of the Bkm Taps to ride, he held a Imin advantage but a lap later that was back to 25s and it seemed that he could be caught.

Then it was back out to Imin 455, slipping,a little in the next two laps to I.smin, and with four and three to ride it was barely a minute.. Then it was only 40s, and it appeared that Flattery's great gallant effort could be all for naught. But at the bell he was back out to a minute, the challenge evaporated, : and he was not threatened in the final lap.

His time was 4h 25min 28s, with Nant. Brunton, and Stockwell recording 4h 27min 13s, and Goding and Kircher, finishing locked together, 4h 3lmin 58s. The only other finisher was Peter James,’’who was all but lapped,by .. Flattery and eventually ■ was 15.5 min behind him. / .