The herald., 1896-04-13
THE OLD GOLD AND CRIMSON
FLUTTERED OVER THE FINISH LINE OF
THE RELAY RACE
Wells Of the Bay City WheeImen Carries
the Clubs Coiors to Victory in the
Greatest Amatuer Road Race Ever
Run In Any Country
Associated Press Special Wire.

carried off the hOnorS in the California
Associated Cycling clubs one-hundred
mile relay road race. c. S. Wells, their
star rider, bore out his reputation to-
day by flutterng the old gold and GRIM
son ribbons of his club over the tape at
the end of the course in Alameda ahead
of all comptitors, winning the race
when victory seemed absolutely out of
the question. The glory of his victory is
somewhat diminished, however, by
FEELING that but for an accident at the
end one rider, f not three. would most
likely have crossed the winning line
ahead of Wells. The accident happened
and Wells, ever on the alert. took ad-
vantage of his opportunity to pass Zeig-.
Ter, who seemed to be the most benefit
ted by the mishap which laid Foster of
the Olympics and Squires of the Acmes
hors de combat
Fully 2000 persons assembled at 9
o'clock at Tenth and Market streets to
see the start. and fully as many strung
themselves along Market street and
down Ninth to watch the racers get un-
der way. There was a hearty cheer as
the ten riders of the first relay were
pushed off to a start over the cobbles.
young Kroetz of the Olympics going
out in front according TO instructions.
A moment later came the trailers,
whisking past like ghosts of those gone
before. In two minutes they were all
OuL VI SlS0l dTOuIlu lHe COT11eT OIL oTdIl-
nan street and the race was on in ear
nest.
Everybody went to Alameda after the
start and at 10:30 that city was flooded
with visitors impatient for the hour
when the first rider headed in for the
end. AS soon as they arrived the bull
letins were there before them announce
ing that two of the relays had been
passed and that the cyclers We're spin
ming along to the end of the third. At
Sierra Point it was announced that Gail
Hardcnbrool< of the Garden Citys had
finished first, over the rockiest, most
dangerous ten miles of the first relay in
the remarkable time of 2S:0S-1:27 fast
er than the last years record, while G.
r.. Kroetz of the Olympics had come in
pushing him hard, just two seconds
later.
Tony Delmas' performance in the Sec
ond relay rather helped the Garden
Citys in their estimation of their clubs
chances. while c. Crofts. who rode for
the Bay Citys, led to the belief that
there were other riders in the race. He
reeled off his ten miles in 27:12, while
Delmas did his bit in 27:15-heartbreak-
ing speed in each case.
1t remained. however, for the third
relay to develop the most remarkable
bursts of the entire race. This ten
miles was over the beautiful stretch of
and the riders fairly cleft the wind as
they raced along. When the end was
reached it was found that Lefevre of
of the Acmes had made the distance in
24:39. while the very youthful and
very speedy Fuller of the Olympics
covered the ground in 25:06.
Great crowds had gathered at San
Jose to see the end of the fifth relay. The
managers had much trouble to keep the
crowd back from the center of the street
so as to leave a passage way. 1t was
little more than Ills o'clock when the
first two riders appeared, neck and
neck They were Coulter of the Olym-
pics and Hubbard of the Garden Citys.
There was some delay in announcing
who was first. The timekeepers made
difference of one-f1fth of second in
favor of the Olympic representative
finally, and it was so announced.
The men came along pretty we'll In
punches. Belolli of the San Jose Road
club lost several seconds in securing the
package and had to make the second
effort before he got it. The crowd de-
layed all the riders somewhat by block
ing the way. All were given cheering
shouts as they passed through.
On the sixth relay Navlet had fall
by coming in contact with dog. He lost
minute or two, but was not seriously
hurt At the end of the sixth relay
there was trouble in passing the packet
from Raynaud to Vincent of the Bay
City Wheelmen. 1t is charged that Vim
cent took the packet outside Of the limit
and protest was entered.
"Great crowds of bicyclsts assembled
at the club rooms and watched the bull
letins. The Garden City cyclers expect
ed to win and were much disappointed
when Zeigler got away behind. They
were wild with enthusiasm when they
found he rode so well, even if he did lose.
At this stage of the race it looked like
cinch for the Olympics. Davis had
continued the lead for the Olympics. SO
that when Chapman took up the packet
for the seventh relay he was a second
and a half ahead of the next nearest
man, Navlet of the Garden Citys. In
the next ten miles Chapman fairly
burned the other fellows up, putting a
gap of two minutes and fifty seconds
between himself and Oscar Davis of the
Garden CityS, who was secand man.
At this report the cinch for the Olym-
pics looked as if it had been copper riv-
eted and cinched on the other side.
1t was only another case. however,
of where the expected did not happen.
Some mighty hoodoo blew in from the
hay and Tantau of the Olympics, who
vas really sick and in poor condition
to ride, was overtaken and passed be-
fore the end of the relay was reached.
by Decker of the AcmeS and Julius
Smith of the Garden Citys. The Olympic
rider had lost his time lead. and j. L.
Edwards was sent on with the packet
nearly a minute behind the first two
men. That did not seem to discourage
the plucky Olympian and neither did
the fact that Ulbrecht of the Bay Citys,
probably the fastest unpaced man in
the state, was wheeling on ahead of him.
He just clipped along in the teeth of
the breeze and whizzed past the mark
that separated the ninth from the tenth
! relays beating them all.
Ziegler, Foster and Squires came into
Oakland neck and neck and almost
touching elbows Close behind them
We're coming Wells, Mcfarland. Ege-
,, berg and Yeoman. Foster to all in
tents and purposes, was in somewhat
of o pocket Everyone had the opinion
that he was the sure winner, and they
shouted as they saw him brace for he
squirt which they believed would carry
him to victory. The next instant he
was spilled from his wheel. Squires OF
the Acmes took a tumble with him,
and Ziegler shot on closely followed
by Wells and the others, who lodged
the fallen champions Just how the ac-
Some say that Suires had petered out,
and in wabbling. struck Fosters wheel
and over they went. Others claim that
Foster wabbled and struck Squires'
wheel, causing the spill. At any rate,
they were out of it; the Acme and
Olympic supporters looked glun: Wells
rode on and beat Zeigler half the
length of his wheel. and the greatest