Fowler and Miller dominate cycle tour

Press, 9 October 1987, Page 48

Fowler and Miller dominate cycle tour

PA Invercargill The two strong men on the New Zealand road cycling scene, Brian Fowler (Christchurch) and Graeme Miller (Auckland), dominated the first day of the thirty-first Rothmans Tour of Southland contested yesterday in fine but cool conditions.

The pair were part of a six-member breakaway group which split the field apart after the Wallacetown sprint just 12km after leaving Invercargill on the road to Otautau and the completion of the first stage of the four-day event With them went Wayne Morgan (Wellington), Leigh Chapman (Waitara), Greg Fraine (Nelson) and Aaron Lauder (Christchurch). The group rode aggressively and as a combination until Chapman was droped 11km from Otautau. In the stage sprint, Fowler showed his cards in no uncertain manner and went to the line comfortably ahead of Miller with Lauder third. Stage two, from Wallacetown to the top of Bluff Hill, was raced at pace by a bunch of 15 riders on the flat but once the imposing sight of the hill appeared, the stage took on a totally new complexion. Allan Miller (Auckland)

attempted to split the field in the early stages of the climb but a six strong group swallowed him up with still a kilometre of the climb to go. Graeme Miller then assumed control and appeared to have the field covered as they neared the top but round the last comer, Fowler, who had never lost sight of Miller’s wheel sprinted past as though he had only joined in the race and went to the line six lengths clear. The third stage of the day was a 35km criterium section round the streets of Bluff and though some of the lesser lights featured prominently during the twelve sprint primes, Fowler and Miller were not far away from the action at the stage finish although having to be content with the minor placings on this occasion. Grant Tyrell (Hamilton) stole a winning march on the field Ikm from the finish with Fowler sprinting strongly to finish ahead of Miller at the

line. Sprint Ace: G. Miller 42 points, B. Fowler 40, D. Woodford 27, A. Miller 27, A. Lauder 15, M. Griffith 13. King of the Mountains: B. Fowler 10 points, G. Miller 7,' G. Fraine 5, D. Woodford 3, W. Morgan 1. Stage one (Invercargill to Otautau) 88km: B. Fowler 1, G. Miller 2, A. Lauder 3, W. Morgan 4, G. Fraine 5. Time: 2:22.34. Stage Two: (Wallacetown to Bluff HUI) 44km: Fowler 1, G. MiUer 2, G. Fraine 3, D. Woodford (Dunedin) 4, W. Morgan 5. Time: 1:8.10. Stage Three: (Bluff criterium) 35km: G. Tyrell 1, B. Fowler 2, G. Miller 3. Time 1:35.58. Aggregate: B. Fowler (Christchurch) 4hr 26min 525, 1; G. Miller (Auckland) at 425, 2; G. Fraine (Nelson) at 1:8, 3; W. Morgan (WeUington) at 1:44, 4; D. Woodford (Dunedin) at 3:49, 5; M. Leahy (Christchurch) at 4:19, 6; L. Chapman (Waitara) at 4:25, 7; A Miller (Auckland) at 4:34, 8; A Lauder (Christchurch) at 4:53, 9; G. Smith (Invercargill) at 4:55, 10. L Smith (Invercargill) at 10:49 is the leading B grade rider.