THE BIG ROAD RACE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1262, 18 October 1911, Page 4

THE BIG ROAD RACE.

FROM WARRNAMBOOL. THE FULL DETAILS RECEIVED. An interesting private cable, giving full details of Saturday's big cycle roa.d'race from Warrnambool to Melbourne has- just been received by the local branch of the Dunlop Company. It states r—This race, tho greatest cycling event in Australasia, was held on Saturday. Tho weather, was fine, with a slight cross-wind at the start. It was the fifteenth of tho series, aud it is doubtful whether such a classy field has yet competed. All told, 281 riders started on Saturday morning from Warrnambool, -Much interest has been evincedthroughout tho Dominion in.the performances of the New Zealanders who were, included in tho fi'ld, especially as to whether fastest tirao would fall to P. O'Shea Or A. B. L; 'Smith, both on the scratch,mark with such tried and sturdy fliers as Gascoyne, Pianta, M'Sweeney, and D. Kirkham, tho last-named being ■ tho rider who put up such a phenomenal^ride in the Goulburn-Sydnoy race only a fortnight ago. It is a great pleasure te record the success of O'Shea, who, it will be remembered, gained fastest time in this . year's Dunlop Christehurch to Timsra race. In gaining the blue riband, and attaining the position of Australasian road champion, this consistent little rider has proved himself worthy to lie classed with former champions hailing from Now Zealand who have succeeded in placing this honour to their, credit—Andrew. Li-alston, Jack Arnst, and,ll. E. Mehrtens.,. The limit men were sent away'at 6 a.m., 'and the scratch men left an hour later. Tho big field was dispatched without a hitch, tho various sections being moved up to tho niark, and pushed oft exactly on tho various times. Tho finish proved the most exciting yet witnessed, a bunch of riders flashing across tho line so closo together that tho judges.had difficulty in separating the first three men. Tho award was to A. R. Collins, off the 3imin. mark, J. Tebbs, 42min., second, and F. Lessing, •tOmin., third. Tho winner's timo was Bhrs. 45min. llscc.

Tho fastest timo waa accomplished by Phil O'iShea, whoso timo was £>:rs. 18min. 4isec. A protest was lodged .against .tho winner by tho third man for interference in the final sprint, ho alleging that Collins caught hold of his saddle. The protest is to be investigated by tho League of Victorian Wheelmen on Wednesday. A very largo crowd lined the last five miles of the course, whilst fit tho fmkh itself there must : have been 20,000 pcoplo present. Tho following New Zealand riders took part in the race:—O'Shea and A. B. L. Smith, scratch; H. T. Williams, smin.; P. Humin, Bmin.; J. Tozer, lOmin.; If. o*Bnnoghno and G. W. Probblo, 12min.; J. W. Waldie, lfimin. O'Shea flnishod fifteenth (only 7min. behind the winner). O'Shea thinks that he would hare pot very close- to the winner bat for the scratch division Retting split up through punctnro and fall Ovirlcham, puncture, M'Swconey, fall). Ho had practically no assistance from Geelong (16 miles from the finish). To«r finished 23rd, in Bhrs. 32min. ssec, thereby winning tho interState prize of £10. A. Smith finished 44th, in Bhrs. Slmin. 50mc, winning fastest prize for rider receiving less than lOmin. start. A. Pianta ejtablislied sscmd fastest time, two minutes slower fchan O'Shea. O'Donoirhne finished 111 th, in 9hrs. lOmin. 50sec. Hnmm, Waldie, and Prcbblo finished at the end of the field. One hundred and ninety-five riders completed tho course, 18 of whom won time medallions for riding the H5 miles under lOihrs. Tho race was a great success, and attracted siich a tremendous crowd that tho police conld not control them after the arrival of the first batch of riders. Tho event has grown too big, so much so that tho Dunlop Compnny state that thoy will not again finish the-contest-in the city. Several riders met with bad falls during tho race, but a fractured collarbone to a Victorian rider was the most, serious result. O'Shea's winning of the Blue Eibnnd and the Australasian Ifoad Championship was popular, and he had a great reception on his time being announced. The first eight riders wore Victorians. First, 6econd, third, and fourth, and fastest time prizes wero won on I)nn!ops. It is estimated that closo on 100,000 people witnessed the race from start to finish.