Invited cycling team withdrawn

Press, 17 January 1989, Page 29

Invited cycling team withdrawn

By

MALCOLM CONDIE

New Zealand’s invited team to the cycling tour of Taiwan has been withdrawn by the New Zealand Amateur Cycling Association.

In a letter to the five selected riders for the tour, the administration officer for the N.Z.A.C.A., Mr Gordon Reid, outlines the reasons the team was withdrawn. The letter stated that the unavailability of a graded manager was the main reason for the decision. Mr Reid wrote that “in view of the fact that it (the tour) was the first into a ‘foreign country’ it was essential that an experienced and capable manager be appointed to handle all the problems which would be likely to eventuate ...” The only party interested in travelling with the team was an ungraded handler. All five riders, who were selected in mid-November, have been training through the off-season for the tour. It is the second tour in as many months that the N.Z.A.C.A. has withdrawn a

team from. Canterbury’s Aaron Lauder was selected for both and now is left with nothing to ride for even though he is very fit through off-season training. Two other Canterbury riders for the Taiwan tour — John Morrison and Chris Nicholson — have also been training but notice of the team withdrawing has not come as too much of a shock to them.

They were not happy about paying the price of airfares to Taiwan and return when there was little available in prizemoney. Lauder is now waiting to hear whether the first tour which was called off — to Malaysia —. will be confirmed for later this year and whether he will gain selection to Britain’s Milk Race.

“I would be really keen to go to the Milk Race. I am fit now and have been training solidly for the Taiwan Tour.”

If Lauder is not selected for the Milk Race his training for two tours which he was selected for and which have both been called off will have been in vain.