CYCLING.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 20000, 16 July 1920, Page 6

CYCLING.

8 RACING IN EUROPE. AUSTRALIANS IN AMERICA. 11. Spears, the Australian cyclist who Was the, most successful competitor in Europe last season, is evidently still going strong. His last win, according to tho cables, is the Grand Prix of kuut) metros, the biggest Continental race of flu; year. The tact that oO.UuO people witnessed the race says much for the piterest that is being taken in cycleracing in Prance, Outdoor racing on the traeik opened at Berlin last month. The feature ot the racing was the surprise defeat of Walter' Butt, who ran second in I>ick Avnst'a Sydney Thousand. Ho could only finish third to Lorenz and Stabe in a senes of four sprint matches. Rutt, of course, is almost a veteran now, but right up to last season ho was maintaining his supremacy. There was nobody in Germany to touch him, and he was, •of course, one of the finest sprinters in the world. Will he ‘‘"come back?" Rutt is only thirty-seven years of ago, so that lie is three years younger than Prank Kramer, the American marvel. But Rutt likes his beer, and Kramer is a total abstainer, a great factor in the successful career of an athlete. The Paris-Tours race, which is the second of tho Trench classic road events, was held recently, and proved to bo a great victory for the veteran Ghristophe. After covering 170 of tho 342 kilometres alone (usually the competitors are in bunches), he finished with a lead of lomiu, an exceptionally big margin. His time for the full distance of 212 miles was 13hr 22min 3,0 aec. W. J. Bailey has consented to ride for Britain in the professional championships of-the world at Antwerp in August. Kramer intends to represent U.S.A., and will take some beating, as, on his first appearance for the season, on March 28, at Newark, ho rode tho last 220 yds of a sprint race in 13sec. which is good enough to win anywhere. It is a pity, says an Australian writer, that some enterprising promoter has not secured Kramer for an Australian tour. He cannot last much longer at the top of the tree. *T Evidence of the big money that can bo earned by professional cyclists was given in a letter received by George Border (a well-known figure in Australian cycling circles) from 0. J. Walker, who, with M’Beath and Erskine, left Australia for America some Weeks ago, and are now having their first season in the States. The trio are receiving £3 a week appearance money from Newark, and £lO pc week from the New York promoters, 7-iaking a total of £lB per week for appearance only. As they race four timea a week for good prizes they should have a fine season. They have also been engaged for six days’ races in November and December. In both events they receive £2o appearance money and £25 per day expenses. For their firstmeeting at Newark Grenda. was on scratch, while he conceded M’Beath 10yds, Walker 30yds, and Erskiuo 40yds in a half-mile. Walker was exceptionally well treated, and won. The team in which the three cyclists mentioned travelled is composed of v.x members, tho other three being M’Namara, Grenda and Osteritter. In a letter to a friend in Sydney the lirstmbntionecl states that the season will bo a reconi ono in America, with a new track running at New Ymk as well as in Newark. The Australians found tho American track strange after the Sydney Sports Ground. Tho New South Wales Cyclists’ Union has decided to promote the Dunlop inter-club premiership this season, after a lapse of live years. The event will bo given a send-off on July 17 (tomorrow), anti the conditions are practically the same as in pre-war days. Each club is allowed to nominate ono team, and the names of nine riders must he sent in from whom the team of five will be selected. The race will be run on the Prospect-Shenvood course. The race for the individual road championship of the State will follow tho premiership, over a listaiieo of forty miles, and there will also bo a raoo for riders who act'as pacers;