SPORT IN EUROPE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 19767, 15 February 1927, Page 4

SPORT IN EUROPE

WONDERFUL PROGRESS IMPRESSIONS OF CYCLIST SPEARS Since 1908 Bob Spears has been engaged in the exhilarating sport of driving a bicycle round a circular track at a greater speed than anyone else and he is undoubtedly the best cyclist Australia has produced. He arrived in Wanganui on Saturday and in conversation with a “Chronicle’’ man yesterday, gave some interesting impressions of sport in Europe. Spears first became known as a potential world champion by winning the Sydney Wheel Race and the Eight Hour Wheel Race in 1910. In 1913 ho went to' America and in 1918 he had cleaned up everything and had moved on to the Continent from where he has but recently returned. After winning the “double” in Syd- I ney in 1910 Spears went from success j to success. In 1911 ho was in the win- ‘ ning team in the Melbourne six-day’sl race and he was in the second team j in a similar race in Sydney. Follow- ■ ing further successes in 1912 he went I to New York to ride over all distances | from sprints to six-days ’ events. There . he met the great Frank Kramer, kiog of track cycling the world over. Spears , raced against him with fluctuating for- | tune until 1916, when ho had a won- j derful season. That year he was in the winning team in the six-days’ races at New York and Chicago, and in only two races during the whole season, was he defeated. He beat Kramer in nine out of 11 match races and beat also Spencer and Gouilett. In 1918 Spears won the all-round championship of America and at the latter end of that year, he set sail for Europe. Success In Europe. In 1919 Spears swept everything before him, winning in France, Belgium, Italy, Switzerland, Portugal and Spain. In the next three seasons he put up a unique record by winning the Paris Grand Prix in 1920-21-22. He is the only cyclist who has won the classic three times in succession. The first prize for this is round about £lOOO. In those y/ars also he was first and twice second in the world’s championship. This championship, like the Grand Prix, is a race of one kilometer —about 1100 yards —and a rider from every country in the world is invited to be present. It is allotted to a different country each year. Spears won it at Antwerp, was second at Copenhagen and was second in Paris. Since then he has filled third and fourth places in Switzerland and in Holland. In addition to his racing in Europe, Spears has competed in England at London and Alanchester, but has not ridden in many races in the Old Country, for the sport is not as popular there as it is on the Continent.

Living in Berlin last year the Australian found conditions were very good. Trade was brisk and work was to be had. He was well treated by every promoter in Germany. Spears also expressed the opinion that the Germans would show up strongly at the next Olympic games.