ADELAIDE TO SYDNEY RACE.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLV, Issue 185, 12 August 1911, Page 6

ADELAIDE TO SYDNEY RACE.

CYCLISTS v. MOTOR-CYCLISTS

The announcement by the Dunlop j Rubber Company that they intend ! organising a big relay sporting match j —cyclists yv motor-cyclists—over a j course of 1,149 miles from Adelaide to Sydney has caused widespread interest in cycling and motor cycling circles. On all sides one-hears the chances of the respective sections discussed, the general'impression.' being that the motor cyclists will easily reach Sydney first with the military dispatch. Amongst motor cycle enthusiasts the opinion is expressed that they will easily win the great contest, despite having to concede 24 hours' handicap to the cyclists, equivalent to a start of about 370 miles, but few are really qualified to give an opinion, inasmuch as they are not acquainted with the whole route, which includes hundreds of" miles of bush tracks, besides the SO miles of the dreaded "Uoorong" Desert between Moningic and Kingston on the South Australian side. Over some of this country _the cyclists, will .probably nearly hbldjtlieir "ownwith "the motor j cj'cle division, particularly in sandy stretches such as have to be negotia- j ted between the South Australian border, and Gastei-ton, through wliieli it is impossible to make fast time. Again, in the night relays the motorists wjll not be able—despite the benefits of a full moon--tb travel at their be&t pace, and are almost certain on some of the night stretches to gain comparatively little on the times of the cyclists, and—as they will be scheduled to average a pace of about 25 miles an hour—half as fast again as -the cyclists' schedule of 16J miles per hour—it needs little .calculation to ■show that the motorists will not have the easy task that it looks on paper. Of course we know that pn first-class country roads forty mile's an hour can be attained, but these stretches are few and far between on the overland route from Adelaide to Sydney. One big point/tne cyclists have in their favor is the absolute reliability of their mounts over the roughest of roads, and their pace is steady but sure, i With the motor cycles there is an element of doubt, especially if the, pace is forced over rough tracks. The only recent available guide as to the relative performance of the motorists in the Reliability Motor-cycle Contest held from Melbourne to Sydney last Christmas, when the prize winners, H. Jenkins (Vie), E. Tyler (Vie), and P. J. Murphy (N.S.W.) took about 25 hours' actual riding time—split up over four da^s—to negotiate the 575 miles between the two capitals. Out of the nineteen, starters only the three riders named lost no points and got near 25 hours, and then there was no night riding. In the forthcoming Re-, lay Match the motor cyclists will have to do this section of the route, including some hours of niaht work, in 23hrs. 6mins., to catch the bicycle dispatch bearers if they repeat their performance in the last relay ride, when the journey from Melbourne to Sydney was accomplished in 34 hours 39 minutes. The motor car records from Adelaide to Melbourne and Melbourne to Sydney if added together, would total 39hrs. 53min., and to average 25 miles an hour the motor cyclists wjll have to do it in 46hrs. 24mins. The total time taken by cyclists in the 1909 Relay Ride from Adelaide to Sydney was 69hrs. 35mins. It will thus be seen that the motor cycle brigade will not have the easy task on hand tnat some think it, in fact, on performances the cyclists appear to have the best chance of winning the match. In answer to inquiries, the Dunlop Company state that two riders will be appointed to each relay section, and that in case of puncture or mishap to cycle or motor cycle the remaining rider must carry the dispatch on without delay to the next changing station; each section is to be covered in the fastest possible time. Every rider who volunteers for a section and is appointed a. relay rider will be expected to make .himself acquainted with the section of .route he is allotted to, and must be prepared to ride in all weathers or any hour of the night; and in the case of ill-health find a substitute. Only capable road riders and motor cyclists will be selected, preference being given to those who have a knowledge of a section of the overland route. Already a number of applications have been received from cyclists and motorists offering their services for the ride.