The evening times., 1896-07-29
CYCLING OVER THE WATER
Wheeler Talks Of the Situation
in France.
TRICKS OF THE RIDERS
Dummies Entered In Races Simply to
Help Along Their star-Fast skat-
crs Should Make Good Bicycle
Racers-Sextuplet Beats an Express
Train-Gossip OF the wheeImen.

i
nc. Wheeler, a member of the American
racing team which went to France In the
spring, has some interesting things to say
regarding the racing situation on the other
| side. Wheeler was member OF tile Troy
combination, whichincluded Charles Murphy
and Keiser. Wheeler says that Jaap Eden,
| the Dutch skater, is. in his opinion, the
fastest bicycle rider in Europe at present
He thinks that Eden is a second Zimmerman.
judging from the way Wheeler talked,
| the Invasion of the American cyclists has
not been a success, and the chances are
that all the american riders will be home
nett month. He says that John 8. johnson
won only one race over there, and that
the best men were not in that contest.
''They are riding in remarkable form over
there" said Wheeler, 'apd don'y think
that our men have much of chance. The
conditions there are SO different. The
Frenchnen ride high gears anywhere from
&c to 90. Then the American wheels are
not exactly suited for those tracks. The
Municipal track in Paris has such high en-.
bankments that our low built machines
handicapped us considerably. They ride
high wheels, and that helps them On the
banked corners
When asked If he thought that an Ameri-
can team would have much chance in
France. Wheeler shook his head and seemed
to imply that they would not,
I'm France, in nearly every important.
race said he, there are three OF four
dummies for each of the great riders.
They are in the race simply to help along
their star, and their tactics are hard to
10 pri1 f,,tt. .
An American rider, TO be thought much of
over there, must so in and win right from
the start. If he is beaten in his first race
/ they argue til at he is no good, and they pay
little attention TO him after that In most
of the races over there they ride unpaeed,
except in the long distances. There are
few bandicaps, but when they do, have
|, handicaps the races are generally fine ex-
hibitions. The prizes are good. IL you can
ride fast enough to capture any of them. /
came home on account of the illness of
M father" Wheeler says that Murphy and
Eden rode dead heat some time ago, but
that the officials decided n'favnr OF Eden.
Eden's success on the '6tEer. side and
the speed shown sby Johnson. Moshler
and other fast skaters in this country
seem to show that athletes whoare fast on
skates on the ice Ought tonihke good racing
men in the bicycling world: Donohue, the
ex-champion skater, promises to become
good man on the wheel. johnson and j w.
Parsons sailed FOR ithis's country from
Liverpool ON Saturday last. Parsons is
the champion bicycle rider of Australia;
and is the man who defeated Zimmerman
when the American was in the Antlpodes
the last time. Other foreign riders are ex-
>pected in this country In time for the fail
races. and some. exciting contests are sure
to result. The Englishmen and Frenchmen
may not have such an easy time OF it
when they meet Bald, Cooper, Sanger and
Butler.