Gyde’s change of code brought change of luck

Press, 25 March 1981, Page 22

Gyde’s change of code brought change of luck

Though junior amateur cyclists occupied much, attention in the seasdn just finishihg with their record-breaking' rides, BEVAN GYDE was even mor&ssuccessful with three national titles. RAY CAIRNS talks to the country’s outstanding junior professional.

Little luck went the way of Bevan Gyde in his novice arid amateur days in track cycling. Early "in 1978, a crash while contesting the South Island 1600 m championship at Timaru not only finished that track season but led to leg injury problems in the next road season; illness brought an untimely end to the following track season, just before the national championships; and starting work .led to a Iriss-than-serious first season as an amateur. But turning to professional cycling brought a new lease of life to Gyde, who can now look back to a first season in the cash ranks with the New Zealand grass track title, both the Canterbury hard track titles, and two wins in three attempts at the national hard track championships. It all adds up to a splendid record of achievement for the youngdr Of the Gyde brothers who have competed so wdrthily since, in' 1974, Ken Gyde "took his two elder sons, Terry and Bevan, to the first race staged by the thenfledgling Hornby WMC cycling section. There were no special attractions, said Bevan Gyde, save that he had seen plenty of cycling oh the South Canterbury ciruit when holidaying inTemuka; and also a neighbour, Eddie * Weller,

went with the Gydes to help the new club on its way. But riding his grandfather's roadster. Bevan Gyde was second — from a field of just five --' on, that .opening "day and.;. his racing career was on the road. “Not,” says Gyde, “that I was rapt, in the sport instantly, but when.l got to 12. I gave, up rugby league for cycling: I had a racing bike by then.” . ■ Even sb, Gyde is candid enough to acknowledge that, though road racing was. then his. forte, “my attitude:was not . .perfect: I cnjoyCd thc sport more.” And now., “i ni not 100 per cent dedicated; that’s my problem- If l ga well, I’m all fired up 1 for, training; if I don’t do so well, I get down.” Gyde had good reason for feeling down in January, with the notable exception of the grass-track championships in Tinwald. He raced worthily for no reward in the South Canterbury circuit at New Year, and at the end of the month, was one bf - only four riders not to:Win a thing in the Healing week-long festival in Dunedin. HO had a similar lack of rewards in the inter-provincial meetings during the season: But that, on reflection, mattered little to. Gyde. The only junior in the Bascik professional team, Gyde was not caught-up in any: power: games in championships. But ■

in the inter-provincials and at Dunedin, “I was working with and for the other guys in the team-” C Did hi enjoy the team riding? Gy de?-lips twitched: ,“lt was excitiiigpit's profOs.siorial stuff, isn’t it.” Gyde still feels J his best days in cycling were in -tij*-. fledgling years,undOr--14, when he won thesecbttd Canterbury championship,-ofy 1976, and dominated the rest Of ' the racing in . his age group. Then things started to slide a little, with ill-luck playing a key part. ’ In 1977, he was in the main break at the Canterbury championships,- dropped his chain, and finished eighth. ■The . following''■'.year, there were'a String offseebnd playings’ to KCraig Adair,, and Canterbury representation in the national championships — -a ■ silver.medal there — but Gyde was never at full strength with niggling injuries, , ■ . , . His career was-really at ..

the cross-roads/a year ago. “I didn't know-how much training I could get in because of work; and the amateur road season is not much for a guy notVablc and prepared to -give it total commitment; "Yet I wanted to keep interested ill’ the -sport, and wlten Terry turned-cash, that -swayed ...me; jthe‘■money inspired < Gyde has hot’regretted the move, though he confesses he “wouldn’t? mind a few proams, particularly against the guys I rode with and against as a novice.” His new code, he says, provides “good racing, and they’re good guys.” ‘ As candid as ever, he acknowledges his junior opposition in the cash;ranks is not' what it ls : - ’with- the amateurs, particularly in this record-breaking-seasons r And. although the mone ; y: available in club racing was a lure, it is not that which has kept. Gyde’s interest? “That was good; but I more enjoyed the racing and the trophies,’?for

Gyde enjoyed a golden run in May and June last year. Not that that was allowed to proceed unchecked. “I got put back and back on the ■'marks: I didn't mind that, -but I did go back too quickly ' for my staid of preparation, j That and stock-taking really ? brought my Season to an yearly end.” But. 18 now. Gyde feels he has the strength for a fine road season. He points, quite rightly, to two or three worthy rides in riiadisons; he felt he rode well, but for no reward, in the criteriums at Dunedin. So he would like to repair the’ “oversights” of last year, and to feature strongly in the national junior championships, invariably run in conjunction with the open championships. He would also like to ride the longer races, “but it’s the junior titles, and the Tamahirii tour in Dunedin, in which I’m most interested.” In winning three of the four national junior, titles at stake this season. Bevan Gyde. has,..underlined he is already well to the forefront of .the: younger group in professional cycling. He is a ‘ modest ’ champion, though, and; one df: the most equable . young men in cycling, either ' code: Future successes — and they are sure to come — will be warmly applauded, and received with no rancour by.his opponents, „„