WHEELING.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 5683, 2 September 1905, Page 15

WHEELING.

(By “Austral.”) George Parley, the Australian cycling champion, : now on a racing visit to Europe in company with Ellegaard and Rntt, has made his first public appearance in France. -In writing to a representative. of the Sydney “Daily Telegraph,” under date June 27th, he ; states that he had a very rough trip across, and, after a tedious railway journeyi arrived in Paris on the same day as the King of Spain. Ho was met at the station hy Mr Robert Coquelle, one of. the Parisian promoters, who had given ;him some good engagements, and escorted him to a hoarding establishment in the Etoile, a district of Paris. Walter Rutt, the German champion, who was returning from his Australian trip, and his wife, stayed at the same place. Kllegaard and his" wife only remained in Paris three days, being anxious to get to their home in Denmark after their 'long trip to Australia. Farley started to tram the day after his arrival, and found Parisian tracks very difficult to negotiate after the Australian tracks. The banking on the Continental tracks is very steep, the angle being 42deg. On June 19th the Australian, Rutt, and Frank Kramer took train to Antwerp,

and rode a three cornered match race oyer three heats of a mile, decided on points. Farley gives a description of tho racing. In the firtet heat lie took the pace, which was withdrawn at the bell. Tho Australian finished, third. In the second heat Kramer was forced to accept the pace, and in the last lap was challenged by Farley and Rutt. Tho American; however, won again, but only defeated Farley by half a wheel,, with Rutt third. , In the third heat three starts wore made, as none of the riders would accept the pacer’s wheel. Eventually Rutt took it, with Kramer second and Farley last. Half a lap from home Kramer wont round Rutt and defeated the German by half a length, with Farley the same distance off third. Kramer won easily on points from Rutt, with the Australian last. The Continental papers, however, gave Farley great praise for his good, showing and fast sprinting so soon after a long journey. , '

Farleys’ second engagement -was away from Paris, at Genoa, where he had been engaged to race against Ellegaard, Rutt, Paird', and o'ther Continental celebrities, and the race had not beet: ridden at the time of writing. The Australian champion states that the promoters who had engaged hint were so satisfied with his showing against Kramer and Rutt, that they have given him a special match, against the three best men in Europe, viz., Henri Mayer, Kramer, and Ponlain, and thp event was scheduled for early in July.' Farley states that the food on the Continent is very oily, which takes a lot of getting J iised to. Ho is still riding his Australian-built machine, which meets with praise on all sides. The sport, ho states, is well attended all over the Continent,.and it is a common sight to see 25,000 . spectators present at a big match race. Kramer, he states, is very anxious to visit Australia for a raging trip next season, and the American champion wishes to secure such an engagement. A Melbourne writer says:—“The New Zealand cracks make no secret of the fact that they intend making a bold bid for the Australasian Road Blue Riband which J. Arnst won for New Zealand in 1003, and which was subsequently in 1904 won by T. Larcombe, of New South Wales, from R. Arnst, by a very small margin. The New Zealand representative team for the forthcoming Warmambool Road Race promises to be a very warm one.” Particulars to hand by the latest English files show that Thery’s second victory for the Gordon-Bennett Cup, over the Auvergne circuit last month, was no easy one, indeed the crack French motorist’s stock was at a very low figure after the second circuit of the course (171 miles) when Lancia, a member of the Italian team, was leading by some 13 minutes.; . The weather conditions were favourable for the contest, which drew a tremendous concourse from all parts of Europe and America. The starters represented six countries, viz., France, Germany. England, Italy, Austria, and America, the teams being as follows: —- France, Thery (Richard-Brazier), winner/ of the “Cup” in 1904; Oallois (Richard-. Brazier), Duray (De Dietrich). Germany, Jenatzy (Mercedes), De Caters (Mercedes), Werner (Mercedes). England, Earp (Napier), Bianchi fWolseley), Rolls (Wolseley). , Italy, Lancia (Fiat), Nazzari (Fiat), Cagno (Fiat). Austria, Braun (Mercedes). Hyeronimous (Mersodes), Burton (Mercedes). America, Lytle (Pope-Toledo), Dingley (Pope-To-ledo), Tracy (locomobile). Contestants were sent away at five minutes’ intervals. Thery, as holder of “Cup,” led and dashed away in- finW style. The first circuit was negotiated in the fastest time by Lancia (Italy), who covered the 851 miles in 1 hour 31 minutes 57 seconds. Thery did next best, 1 hour 41 minutes, Earp (England) did 1. hour 54 minutes. The American team at this early stage of the contest was doing very poorly. Lancia still gained on all the drivers in the, second lap, his time for the two circuits be-;, ing 3 hours 1 min 8 seconds, as against Thery’s 3 hours 30 minutes 4 seconds. Cagno, another Italian representative, was third in 3 hours 40 minutes. The third circuit saw the downfall of Italy’s hope, for Lancia had to give up the contest owing to the radiator of his:.“Fiat” bursting, which was extremely tad luck, for Lancia was driving in such fine style that, barring accidents, the “Cup” looked like going to Italy through his agency. Thery was now left in the lead, and was never afterwards headed, he covering the four circuits in 7 hours 3

minutes 42 3-5 seconds. Nazzari finished second 17 minutes later; while Cagno ran third only 2 minutes later. . Callois ran fourth. The English trio finished as follows:—Rolls, Bth, in 8 hours 26 minutes 42 1-5 seconds; Earp, 9th, in 8 hours 27 minutes 29 4-5. seconds ; Bianchi, 11th, in 8 hours 38 minutes 39 2-5 seconds. Franco gained first, fourth, and sixth positions.-' There was great jubilation over Tilery's win, for the success of the French car again means a big lift for the French automobile industry. Considering the little practice and knowledge that the English team had of the dangerous and circuitous course, they acquitted themselves creditably.

Previous winners of the Gordon-Bon-nett Cup are:—l9oo, Charron (France); 1901, Giradot (France); 1902, Edge (F,ngland); 1903, Jenatzy (Germany); 1904, Thery (Prance); 1905, Thery (Prance).