Australia strikes back in cycling

Press, 10 January 1986, Page 28

Australia strikes back in cycling

PA » Wanganui Australia broke New Zealand’s domination of the track events at . the 1986 Oceania Cycling Championships when Stephen McGlebe, aged 16, of N.S.W. scored a thrilling win in the junior 8000 m scratch race at Cooks Gardens, Wanganui, yesterday. It was the only title decided on the third afternoon of the championships and halted a New Zealand sweep of the gold medals. McGlebe, however, had to hold off a, neck-and-neck struggle from a flying Jason Smith (N.Z.) to win in a photo finish.

The session was interrupted by persistent showers but in the end only the senior 50km points race was not decided in the afternoon’s racing. Another overseas rider to stand out yesterday was the

defending sprint champion, Rosserio Scoleri (New Caledonia), who turned on some class sprinting to eliminate an Australian rider, Steve Wigzell, in the quar-ter-finals and then Murray Steele (N.Z.) in the semifinals. Steele had won the senior 1000 m time trial, dethroning Scoleri, who could manage only fifth, but there was no doubting the power of the New Caledonian sprinter yesterday. He beat Wigzell comfortably in straight rides and flashed away from Steele with times of 12.06 s and 11.54 s for the flying 200 m in the semi-finals. Scoleri now meets New Zealand sprint champion Michael Mcßedmond (Palmerston North) in the sprint final. Results:— Sprints, quarter-finals:

Rosserio Scoleri (New Caledonia) beat Steve Wigzell (Aust.), 2-0, 12.905, and 13.215; Victor * Raoulx (Tahiti) beat Rik Sloane (Aust.), 2-0,12.62 s and 13.075; Michael Mcßedmond (N.Z.) beat Allan Miller (N.Z.), 2-0, 11.87 s and 11.86 s; Murray Steele (N.Z.) beat Laurent Ragot (New Caledonia), 2-0, 12.38 s and 12.765. Semi-finals: Scoleri beat Steele, 2-0, 12.06 s and 11.545; Mcßedmond beat Raoulx, 20,12.27 s and 11.905.

4000 m teams pursuit, qualifying round (fastest two): New Zealand (Andrew Whitford, Stephen Swart, Russell Clune and Gary Anderson) 4.35.795, 1; Australia (Rik Sloane, Ross Bush, Craig Atwood and Stephen Rooney) 4.57.795, 2; New Caledonia (Phillipe Thepinier, Eric Duffieux, Laurent Ragot and Thirry Cheval), 5.02.385.