SPORT OF CYCLING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20593, 18 June 1930, Page 15

SPORT OF CYCLING.

ROAD RACING POPULAR.

PROMISING JUNIOR RIDER

If tho entry received for the. road race decided by the Manukau Amateur Cycling Club for its senior members last Saturday afternoon is any criterion, then the road sport among Auckland's amateur cyclists promises well to regain tho popularity it enjoyed over tho Mangere circuit during the past road seasons. Tho event, one of ten miles over two laps, attracted a splendid muster of 18 competitors. The raco was characterised by the exceptionally fast times recorded by every group, and tho general high standard of the individual performances. For instance, over the initial lap tho two limit riders, D. Baird and R. T. Baston, off sm, clocked 14m 555, whereas tho bestlap time was 13m 25s recorded by S. Baird, lm 455. With only a reduction of lni 30s, the back markers were given little chance of getting near tho leaders before the second and final lap concluded. N. B. Casey, fastest time .winner in the previous week's race of 13 miles, when riding off lm, rode off lm 20s last Saturday, and was going well to clock 13m 38s for his first lap when ho came to grief on the coiner shortly after beginning his second lap. Casey's forced retirement left tho fastest', timo issuo between S. Baird and E. J. Avery, both off lm 455, A. W. Pinker, lm 20s, and J. H. Wade, 50s, virtual scratch. Tho two first-named recorded 13m 25s for lap one, Pinker 13m 38s and Wade 13in 425. Over the second circuit little of incident occurred, tho order remaining much the same as that on the first.

With tho fast wind assisting in the sprint D. Baird, a comparatively new rider, who was competing in his second race this year, held off Gordon, to win by a length. lio led for the full ten mile,* in company with his co-marker, 11. T. Baston, with whom ho shared tho pacing work. Considering that ho had had little previous experience, his performance was most impressive for a limit rider. The riding of the junior member, H. V. Gordon, who repeated his success of tho previous week, to finish second, was tho feature of tho event. Ho started off 3m, 40s with four senior riders, yet ho left his partners on the most difficult section, tho hill portion, on the first Jap, and completed the circuit over half a minute ahead of them. lie was then riding alono 23 seconds behind tho leaders, whom ho caught and remained with half-way through the final lap. S. Baird, lm 455, brother of the winner, reaped tho reward of consistent training by recording fastest time with tho excellent figures of 27m 30s for tho ten miles of tricky going. Tho contest for time honoijrs was particularly interesting, and it was not until all had finished that any definite decision could bo arrived at. A. W. Pinker ran out in 27m 41s, and J. H. Wade, after a lono rido, clocked 27m 57s- Baird has raced in almost every road race promoted by the Manulcan Club since early in 1927, but his last success marks tho first occasion on which he has achieved time honours, tho premier honours in any road race.