Strong competition on the Coast

Press, 30 May 1981, Page 16

Strong competition on the Coast

It is almost becoming traditional for the Greymouth Cycling Club to stage annually, at Queen’s Birthday week-end, the New Zealand professional 40km championship as the focal point of its full week-end of racing.

As a prelude, it also stages the open West Coast championship, over the same distance and on the fast course from Jacksons to Kumara; and the Healing-sponsored week-end is completed with a third 40km race on Monday.

Not surprisingly, the attractive prize list, and the prestige attached to the national championship, has resulted in a good, representative field, and this weekend is no exception. Accordingly, Terry Gyde will no doubt be contemplating the odds of his defending his title. From Dunedin are coming Wayne Hillary — the favourite last year and worth such backing again, on the evidence of his sprint form in the recent Tamahine Tour — and Kevin Tait. John Reid and Grant Scott,

Owen Wylie, Steve Roulston and Jim Ward are travelling from Timaru and Ashburton respectively; the home centre will look to Merv Pattinson, Graeme Peters and Brian Stokes.

But Gyde will have to look most to those with whom he is most familiar, for there is a rising and more even standard in Canterbury, boosted by the return from amateur racing of Russell Nant, and the new enthusiasm of John Cleary.

They are fearsome -sprinters in any company,

and to them can be added the aggression of Steve Doherty and Chris Giddens. Doherty has never been short of a willing attitude to his racing, and rather more determination than some of his fellow back markers show at times. Hardly a race goes by without Doherty making one positive move and — as in last week’s Canterbury championship over the same distance — these often pay dividends. The rolling hills on the road to Punakaiki, over which the national championship will be staged, will suit him too. The title-holder himself is in no doubt that the race will be “harder than last year, that's for sure.” He pointed to Reid, Nant and Tait as “new” challengers from last year, and decided out of all that that “Nant will be the hard one in a finish.” More than a passing interest will centre on the junior championship, one for which Bevan Gyde was a warm favourite last year. He succumbed then, but unless he suffers after-effects from his crash in the Wilson Neill series, Gyde will go out as the young man to beat. He sprinted outstandingly in the Canterbury championship, and his experience should prove too much for the youthful dash of Tony Ward and the promising Greg Cox.

But the rider who will perhaps lodge the strongest challenge to Bevan Gyde is Gavin Hughes, of Dunedin, outstanding on the hills but perhaps without Gyde's poise in a big bunch finish. The championship will bring the two teams racing in Canterbury into real opposition for the first time, and team tactics could play a very important part. Bascik will no doubt be doing its collective best to get Bevan Gyde to the junior title, while Nicholas Nickleby have Cox as their hope. Bascik also has Terry Gyde in a sprint, Bruce Blackburn in a breakaway — and not forget ting the fine finish possessed by Mike Doyle — as senior hopes; Nicholas Nickleby will be looking to Cleary’s dash and experience in a big bunch, the attacking instincts of Giddens and Brent Stanawav.

But there are other “teams,” in fact if not in

name, and the Dunedin riders will no doubt do their bit for, Hughes while Tony Ward could expect some Tinwald club assistance. Bill Partell, the veteran title-holder, has a leg in plaster after an accident, but another Otago man, Willie Stevenson, is poised to succeed him. Eddie Ward of Mid-Canterbury, Trevor Small of Greymouth, and Ray ■ Craig, from Canterbury, are his challengers.

The West Coast was once the strongest area of cycling in New Zealand, but the amateur club went into recess early in the 19705. However, four years ago, cycling was revived as a cash club and from humble beginnings, it now has 20 riders regularly turning out for club races. It is sure to make another very worthwhile promotion of this week-end.

RAY CAIRNS