|
CLEMENTS WINS FIRST STAGE IN BLRC BRIGHTON-GLASGOW FIVE-DAY MASSED START
 THE first -stage of the B.L.R.C. 500-miles five-day massed-start race from Brighton to Glasgow ended on Putney Heath, Sunday evening with a win for Ernie Clements, blonde Wrekin R.C.C. speed star, in the time for the 52 miles of 2 hrs. 17 mins. 52 secs. His win is more meritorious than the time indicates, as not only was a contrary wind a slowing factor to the field, but he was pitted against almost ail the French team, nine of whom were in the first ten over the line, the best being Marcel Waterschoot, whose fierce sprint with Clements ended with a half-wheel margin for the English boy
The race was started by the Mayor of Brighton, who insisted on shaking hands with all 99 riders, including 11 Frenchmen, and five Italians, two Belgians one Pole and one Swede. Geoff. Clark, Bradford, collided with a French rider at 10 mins. to go sustaining abrasions, for which he attended a hospital after finishing. He expected to continue. Jack Williams, West London, also "rubbed cycles” with a Frenchman (who weave much more that the British) and shed several spokes. The French contingent rode as a team, as the finishing list indicates, but our riders were still very individual in their efforts. The French also supplied the first three places in the initial hill prime. Crowds totalling many thousands lined the roads in villages and vantage points. An early estimate showed that about 50 riders would start for Wolverhampton via the City of London on Tuesday. A complete report will appear in next week's “Cycling”. The race ends in Glasgow on Friday.
Details of Stage 1:
E A Clements, Wrekin R.C.C., 2 hrs 17 mins 52 secs 1; M Waterschoot, France, half a wheel 2; R Batot, France, length, 3; R Thirlott, 2.17.53, 4; J Lauck, France, length, 5; C Van Lerberghe, France, 2.17.55, 6; Peloton: L. Duan, R Pasty, A.Lotts, France; L A Hook, R Baker, V Humphrey, W London R.C; etc.
|
|
The Finish
Crossing the finishing line at Carntyne at the end of Glasgow-Edinburgh road half a wheel ahead of the next rider Robert Batot, 24-year- old French rider, won the Newcastle to Glasgow stretch of the Brighton to Glasgow marathon road race with the time of 7 hrs. 7 mins. 25 secs. He was followed by his team mate, Jean Lauck. Next came another Frenchman, Marcel Waterschoot, who managed to cross the line a yard in front of George Edwards, Glasgow Wh. This pair were 11/4 mins. behind the first two riders and were followed 10 secs. later by Geol. Clarke, Bradford R.C.C., and D. L. Jaggard, Ealing C.C. A crowd of 5,000 surrounded the riders as they appeared and almost mobbed the winner, Robert Batot, as he handed to the Lord Provost of Glasgow, James Welsh, a Victory message from the Lord Mayor of London, the Mayor of Brighton and the Mayor of Newcastle. Batot shared the “King of the Mountain" honour which went to the rider with the best average of prime points, with Jean Lauck, and was the rider with the best aggregate time over the whole distance; his time was 25 hrs. 22 mias. 57 secs. The second fastest rider over the distance was Geof, Clarke, Bradford R.C.C.. with 25.28.41, and third, D. L. Jaggard. Ealing C.C., with 25.29.18. The French team of 11 starters had six riders in the first 10 finishers at Glasgow and five out of the fastest eight over the whole distance. At Hawick. some 70 miles from Glasgow, six of the French riders jumped the "field" and got clear away. George Edwards, Geof Clarke and D. L. Jaggard chased them, but the Britishers lacked .....
|
