The times., 1899-06-04
PROSPECTIVE Fight
FOR CYCLING HONORS
Difficult to Pick the Winning
Wheelman.
Ten Professionals Who Have Equal
Chances.
Crack Riders i'm Better Condition
This Year Than Ever Before
Track Gossip.

Newark, n. J., June 3.-Never before has
cycle racing season promised as much in
keen competition as the present season,
with ten men striving for the greatest
honor which q cyclist may receive-the
title OF American champion. Ten men are
certain contestants, but ten more may be
in the fight before the start of the grand
circuit. along which the championship bat
tie viii be fought and won.
There are dark horses in the field. but
the battle. from present indications. lies
between the ten best known men. These
ten may be sifted down during the heavy
campaigning. for all men cannot stand the
constant travelling with the almost daily
competition of the circuit.
Who will be the champion of '99? Who
is the best man of the year? These ques-
tions are being asked on all sides, and
well-posted men cannot reply without
guessing, and the guesses are very unre-
liable. Previous seasons have seen two
or three men with better chances than
Others. Sickness has laid prominent COM
petitors low and forced them out OF the
game at vital times. Among the best
riders this year there is no sickness, no in
disposition of any sort, and, with no ex-
cuses to make, all enter upon contest
which. to the winner, means a small for
tune during the next season. The big
men of the American path expect to race
in France in 1900. and Americans may see
many Of them for the last time during the
present racing season. France is magnet
which is drawing one and all. Liberal
purses and ample racing during the great
Exposition mean much to the champion OF
America He will be the man most in de-
mand. He will be the man who may de-
mand almost at viii his price for appear
ance. His will be position at the head of
the invading American army on the foreign
shores, and. independent of the emolu
ments Of his office as leader, the honors
will repay him for his hard work of the
present season.
During all the past winter the racing
men were preparing at their homes for
the struggle now at hand. With only ore
or two exceptions the men took good care
of themselves during the winter months
and their present fine work is due to this
as much as to anything else 1t is doubt
ful whether springs training ever placed
men as quickly in frst-class condition as
has the training of the present spring
True that good fortune has attended them
in their work. for the weather has been
at all times propitious and no rider need
have missed single day OF training eithe,
al Louisville or Washington owing to in
clement weather. Few have done so. anC
;n that they have shown their intense
earnestness.
The New York State circuit which con-
sumes the better part of the month of June
and merges into the grand circuit toward
the close of the month. is but a curtain
raiser to the main struggle. and yet al
important part OF the contest OF the year
Among the racing men there is feeling
that the showing made in June will in
way forecast their position in the grea
struggle to come.
With points to be won in every champion
Ehip race and with championship contes
at every grand circuit date, it is very prob
able that grand circuit meet promoter
will see the entire entry list up ever.
time. Riders dare not risk very mucl
and failure to compete in one of these i'm
portant contests would probably bring
loss in the points column, which, at tn
close of the season, might mean the los
Of the championship. Every point thi
year will count.
The field includes Eddie Bald. who wa
three times champion and a claimant 70
the championship OF 1885; Arthur Gardiner
another claimant of 1898: Owen Kimble
winner of two OF the great national cham
p!onships last year, and the leader in tn
points table as carried on by the a. r. c
L.: Tom Cooper, who ran Bald so clos
race in 1886; Earl Kiser. a campaigne
now, but the match race king of 1886
Floyd Mcfarland, whose early spring wor
entities him to more. consideration tha
ever before; Orlando Stevens, the low
sprinter, always factor in the best fields
Howard Freeman, considered by some th