Evening star., 1901-07-20
ION DEFEATS JOHNNY NELSON
An Exciting Race at the Coli
CURRENT SPORTING NEWS

In the presence of the largest crowd OF
spectators ever assembled at the Coliseum
bicycle track Albert Champion. champion
of France, defeated Johnny Nelson, the
Chicago lad, last night in one of the most
magnificent motor-paced races ever wit
messed at the local bowl. The distance was
for twenty miles, and the contest was won
by Champion after hard-fought battle by
one lap The lighting of the track was all
that could be desired, and the conditions
for the races were perfect from every point
of view.
The four motor machines put in their ap-
pearance after the final in the mile handi-
cap race, and while two of them were held
in reserve the other two went snorting
around the track, warming up for the Nell
southampton race. The event proved to
be the finest of the season, and when the
two powerful machines passed each other
on the last turn into the home stretch the
spectators showed their enthusiasm as it
has never been demonstrated before at the
track. Nelson was undoubtedly the favor
tte Of the evening, and his style of riding
brought forth rounds of applause. The
Frenchman received his share OF applause.
but 1t was not so great as that which
greeted the little Swede. The large num-
ber of French people present at the race
was noticeable, and they cheered the cham
pion of their native country at nearly every
turn.
The riders were lined up on the tape.
with Nelson on the pole, and at the crack
Of the pistol both men made break for
their pacing machines. On the back stretch
Nelson caught his machine, followed
shortly afterward by Champion. and the
race was on. 1t did not last long, however,
for before the riders had completed single
mile the chain on Nelson's machine broke.
was made, and Nelson was again the first
to catch his pace. A second accident oc-
Cured, this time the chain breaking on
Champions machine after the riders had
covered nearly lap, and the crack Of the
pistol announced the race stopped. After
a short intermission two other motors were
put on the track, and this time the race
started for good, and continued through to
the finish. with no accidents to the ma
chimes Both riders settled down to hard
work and the race was a struggle from
that time on to the finish.
Nelson after taking the lead maintained
his position until he reached the unlucky
thirteenth mile, when Champion gained a
lap on him after a tremendous squirt. After
losing the lap Nelson made a game fight
to regain his lost laurels, but he could not
get lead enough on the Frenchman and his
PAGERS to amount to anything. Several
times he lost his pace, and then the French
man would come up on him. and Nelson
was obliged to sprint to keep In the lead.
he was only setting the pace IOr the
Frenchman. however and the race con-
tinued on in this manner until the finish.
Had not Nelson lost the lap which he did
1t would have been a neck-and-neck affair
from start to finish, the two riders were
together when they crossed the tape line
al the finish.
The riders all through the race kept jock
eying. and this made the race much harder
for the man in the rear to ride. as the
pacemakerS had to use considerable head
on the track. One of the most beautiful
spectacles ever witnessed on the track was
when Nelson called for a new machine,
and after the two pacing crews were riding
at 1.35 clip side by side for several laps,
the little Swede jumped from one machine
to the other while going around the first
turn. 1t was done quickly that but few
of the spectators knew what had happehed
until the new machine carried him around
al a much faster clip. Nelson put up a
game fight and rode a splendid race
throughout
The Amateur Events.