Clyde Sefton takes control of tour

Press, 14 November 1981, Page 64

Clyde Sefton takes control of tour

From

RAY CAIRNS,

in Reef-

ton After relinquishing the tour leadership to Steve Cox, of Hamilton, in the morning, Clyde Sefton, of Melbourne, yesterday took control of the Healing-3ZM cycling tour of the South when the fourth stage ended at Reefton. Cox enjoyed the narrowest of leads — one second to Sefton, two to Alan Peiper of Melbourne, and four to Brian Fowler, the Canterbury junior — after the Westport Toyota winning stage from Greymouth. The 100 km stage was actually won in a break by Roger Sumich, of Auckland, from Jack Swart, of Morrinsville, - but both had had such bad first days that they were not in serious contention for race victory. . The two-minute margin they enjoyed at Westport did bring Sumich back to sixth place, two behind Blair Stockwell, who in turn is 3min 40s behind Sefton. Un-

less something drmatic happens today, in the stage sponsored by Blair Stockwell Cycles, to Hanmer Springs, only three riders are in a position to challenge Sefton. Cox and Peiper are both nine seconds behind him and Fowler, out of the stage bonuses yesterday, is at 18 seconds, but if the warm weather continues in the basins and valleys en route to Hanmer, there could be a winning ride from the likes of Stockwell.

Swart showed by far his best form in the morning 100 km, from Greymouth to Westport. He attacked early and, with Sefton for company, won all the early town sprints.

Then, at the other end of the race, Swart struck out again, only this time with Sumich. as his partner, and Sumich had the legs on him at the finish.

The only successful break on the stage to Reefton came from the rawboned Australian. Brian Boswell. He

worked clear to win the only two town sprints, but when he was caught at Inangahua Junction. Boswell was quickly dropped, the only casualty of the stage.

Stockwell tried and tried to work his way clear, but Sefton would have nothing of it, and when Stockwell looked to have the stage won, it was Sefton who pipped him right on the line. Mark Bell, the champion, easily leads the Carpet Market Sprint Ace section with 49 points. Sefton has 23, Swart 15 and Stockwell 12. Cox leads the King of the Alps with 68 points, Peiper has 50, Sefton 39, Stockwell 37 and Fowler 29. Results —

Stage three. Greymouth to Westport: R. Sumich 1, J. Swart 2, W. Howes 3, M. Bell 4. S. Cox 5, A. Peiper 6, B. Fowler 7. C. Sefton 8. B. Stockwell 9. E. O'Brien 10.

Stage four. Westport to Reefton: Sefton 1, Stockwell 2. Peiper 3. Cox 4. Bell 5, Swart 6. Fowler 7, Sumich 8, Howes 9, J. Black 10.