The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-11-12
VIENNA BICYCLE MEET
NOVEL SCHEME TO SEND A TEAM OF
AMERICAN WHEELMEN.
To he Selected I'm Trial Heats I'm Vari-
GUS Parts of the Country
New Local Club.

A scheme which will benefit Indianapolis,
should this city get the national l.. A w.
meet next year, is being started by some
Eastern newspaper men. 1t is In direct line
with the proposition of the league to get
the European champions to come here and
race against the Americans at the national
meet 1t is proposed to send a team from
this country to Vienna, the team to go as
the representatives of the United States,
and the fund for their expenses to be paid
in a novel manner.
The European championships are to be
run off in Vienna in July. The proposition is
that an association be formed of the cycling
editors of newspapers all over the United
States, and that series of race meets be
held for the purpose of selecting the best
men in the United States. Early in the
spring, If the plan works out, there will be
meets held In communities all over the
United States The races will be among the
riders of the various sections Of the coun-
try and will serve as trial heats. The win
ners Of the various distances, both profess
sional and amateur, will then go to the
large city centrally located, where semi
finals will be held. And the winners of the
semi-inals will go to New York, or any
where else that may seem more suitable,
and they will compete for the honor Of
representing their country at Vienna.
The question as to how many shall go to
Europe will be decided when the financial
returns are made. 1t is suggested that blue
ribbons be given to the winners of the first
trials in the trial meets, silver medals to
the winners at the trial meets, and gold
medals to the winners at the semi-fnal
meets. 1t Will thus be seen that the expense
OF holding the meets will be considerably
less than usual while the purpose of the
meets will be sufficient drawing card to
insure good patronage. If the patronage is
good and the fund raised is sufficient, more
than the amateur and professional mile
winners will be sent to Europe. 1t is ex-
pected to send these two at least, and prob
ably a fiVe-mile winner of each class But
this all depends upon the revenue obtained
from the various meets The work will be
done largely by the newspaper men and all
profits will be sent to the treasurer OF the
League of American Wheelmen.
This scheme will help Indianapolis and
the national l.. A. w. meet in several ways.
The fact that American riders are sent to
Europe may encourage European riders to
come to the national meet here. But there
will be more substantial encouragement If
the plan is carried out. Whatever money
there may be in the fund, over and above
what is needed to defray the expenses of
the team, will be donated to the league for
the purpose OF paying TIE SApSIlScS VI luS
European champions to come here. In this
instance, the expenses both ways are to be
paid by the Americans.
There may be some question about the
status of amateur riders who suffer their
expenses to be paid, as the laws of the l.. A.
w. make professional out of any amateur
who accepts any expense money. But it is
believed in this case the racing board will
rule otherwise.
The work of running off these trial and
semi-fnal heats will be carefully systema-
tized. The country will be divided into dis
tricts surrounding a large city, and vice
president of the association will be APP
pointed or elected for each district. He will
be a resident of the central city where the
semi-fnal meet will be held