Craig Adair rides in for NX’s first gold medal

Press, 4 October 1982, Page 25

Craig Adair rides in for NX’s first gold medal

From

RAY CAIRNS,

in Brisbane

Craig Adair, the young man that all but the Christchurch faithful forgot about in the Games cycling kilometre time trial predictions, underlined his almost unlimited potential when he won what was only New Zealand’s fourth cycling gold medal.

There was a flurry of questions on Adair's distinguished background in cycling at the Chandler Velodrome on Saturday evening after his victory, by almost a second, in this most demanding of track events. Even large numbers of the New Zealand media, blinded by Anthony Cuffs recent fast training times, had paid little attention to Adair. But when it had all finished. he had ridden his kilometre in Imin 6.9545ec. representing an improvement of I.3sec on his previous best, and the classy opposition was left struggling a second or so in his wake in the tense battle for the minor medals. What a battle that was. too. Chris Wilson, a 21-year-old Sydney lad who had all Australian hopes thrust on him when Kenrick Tucker withdrew. snatched the silver medal in Imin 7.9265ec. but only by a hair s breadth. Terence Tinsley, the Englishman his management expected to win the gold medal, did Imin 7.9325. David Weller, of Jamaica, third in the last Olympics, could manage only‘fourth this time with his Imin 7.9555. and he - was followed by ariother young Christchurch rider. Murray Steele, who far exceeded all his/other performances with his Imin 7.9845ec.

Poor Steele — “only" fifth, yet a- mere o.osBsec away from fhe silver medal.

All these other riders were bit players compared to the mighty Adair, however. He left struggling in his wake the great Jocelyn Lovell — the Canadian winner of five Games medals doing only Imin 9.lllsec for sixth place. His Games record is Imin 6sec. Mark Barry, another rich England hope, did Imin 9.356 s for seventh. Gary Hammond, of Australia, Imin 9.738 s and Cuff was a most disappointing ninth in Imin 10.3625ec. Disappointing, maybe, but not really - surprising, for Cuffs last kilometre of much worth in competition.' as distinct from time trials, was four years-ago. And he last won the New Zealand title in 1977. Recent crashes have certainly taken their toll, but would Cuff have been a medal prospect anyway? Probably not. Adair rather surprised the cycling buffs when he told

them he rode, in cycling terminology, a 91.8 in gear for his kilometre. "That's the smallest gear the kilo's been won in for years." said one. “That's the biggest gear I’ve ever ridden on the track." was Adair's polite rejoinder. Why did Adair choose that gear? "1 didn't. Wayne Thorpe did —that's my coach's job. He tells me what to ride, and that's what' 1 do." said Adair. Mr Thorpe, in Brisbane as manager-coach of the NewZealand Junior team, was at Adair's side, then calling him his performance from the side of the track. He confessed, himself, to disappointment that Adair was "only" in the 1:6 region, "but at the bell. I knew he was okay. "Once the more respectable riders started coming through, I knew the l:5-odd I was looking for was not on.” said Mr Thorpe. “But he will do those

times, inevitably. He'll go considerably Jaster yet. We just don't know how fast he will eventually go. but he still has a lot of improvement in him." Adair said he had been riding standing 800 m trials in around 53sec. "I thought I might be able to do that start in something between 52 and 53 seconds, but it was pretty cold out there, and I only did 54. I didn't think that, was fast enough, but as soon as Weller had finished his ride, I knew I would win.

“By that, I don't mean disrespect to Lovell; he's a great rider, but on recent performance. I felt he wouldn't go as fast as Weller." .When Tucker withdrew, to be replaced — amid some dissension from other countries — by Frank Parker, already withdrawn from the Australian team. Adair said that did not affect his prospects.

“I was worried by Tucker when he did his 1:5.8 in the Australian championships, but not since I‘ve been here. He was obviously not up to form after his illness, and I agreed with his pulling out. Id have done the same if I felt I was going to do a real bummer of a ride because of my health.'’ Parker, the first rider, set the early pace with his 1:11.446. which was obviously not going to be in the hunt. Just before half-way through the field, he was nudged back, first by a Jamaican. Robert Ford, in 1:11.013. then the Isle of Man's outstanding road rider. Stephen Joughin. did a most creditable 1:10.911.

Then along came Steel with his mighty.ride, and the real standard was set. Hammond could do nothing about it. but Tinsley slipped under Steele. Then it was Adair, and a 23min wait as the rest came and went.'

Wilson, however, threw out a serious challenge and the parochial crowd lifted him to the fastest of the -starting laps — 23.805. compared with Adair's 24.935. At two of the three laps, he had taken 44.685. and Adair there had been 45.505. Even with half a lap to ride, Wilson looked a winner, but he folded dramatically. where Adair was by far the strongest finisher. Cuff came and went, blowing terribly in the final lap and wobbling out of the racing line. W'eller was a shade up on Wilson even, but blew even worse, and Lovell, after a smart start, was never thereafter a threat.

The final laps were the most significant. Adair took a mere 21.455. and the next best were Tinsley (22.245) and Steele (22.465). The rest were all 23 seconds and worse.

One other little matter told Adair, retrospectively, that he was on a great ride. He would normally, he said, be half a second slower than Steel in his opening lap. Instead, he trailed his fellow Cantabrian by only o.lBs after one lap. and led him by 0.04 s after two.

New Zealand's previous winners of cycling gold medals were Harry Kent (also in the kilometre time trial) and Bruce Biddle, at Edinburgh in 1970, and Michael Richards in the 400 m individual pursuit at Edmonton.