Miller to ride for U.S. road cycling team

Press, 1 August 1989, Page 48

Miller to ride for U.S. road cycling team

PA Wellington A Kiwi Olympian, Graeme Miller, will ride against New Zealand in this year’s Wellington to Auckland road cycling tour, said the race director, Bob Pratt. Mr Pratt said yesterday that Miller had confirmed his IME Panasonic team would be coming to New Zealand from the United States to contest the eightday tour.

Mr Pratt did not believe there would be any problem in Miller ‘riding in opposition to the two New Zealand teams. ‘T’ve asked Graeme to advise the national selectors he’s not available: for the national team as soon as he can,” Mr Pratt said.

' “He’s told me he will do that If he doesn’t advise

the national selectors and then gets picked for New Zealand he's in trouble. “I won’t bring his team out if he’s not in it. I’m not supporting any rebel element on this tour,” Mr Pratt said he expected to sign a major sponsorship deal covering the tour later this week.

The convener of selectors, Gary Bell, said he would not be worried which team Miller rode for provided the selectors knew of his plans. The loss of Miller, who has never won New Zealand’s toughest tour, must affect the chances of a New Zealand win in the team section.

The super aggressive Miller was the outstanding Kiwi cyclist of 1988 with his eighth in the Olympic

road race, after breaking a spoke at a crucial time, and two stage wins in the British Milk Race. The entry of the American club brought the number of countries with fiveman teams represented to seven, with the chance it might expand to nine. England, IME Panasonic, a Swiss pro-am team, a Dutch team, Australia, Japan and four New Zealand teams are confirmed. Mr Pratt was also wooing Italy and Denmark to the October tour as well as a squad of Australian professionals. “I’m sure it will be the strongest lineup we’ve had,” Mr Pratt said. “It’s been called a fairly ambitious tour and I think it is a fair description.”