Page:The Cycle Industry (1921).djvu/84

70 behind or shut in by astuter competitors who may be no faster in the final rush but who secured the better position by good jockeying.

Road racing requires strength, speed, stamina, and a knack in climbing hills. Provided the rider is speedy enough there is nothing to prevent him winning important events; he has not to contend with the betting side of the question, which is sometimes rather startling to a novice. There are such occurrences as being purposely upset; luckily, they are not common, and are only instanced to show that while the average healthy youth may indulge in a little road racing every week without considering such eventualities, he who aspires to track honours must be prepared for the worst whilst hoping for the best.

Present day racing comprises track meetings, practically all over the country, every Saturday. Many of these are unimportant. The aspirants to fame should keep a look out for the N.C.U. Championships which are now allotted to various centres. The clubs in London, Manchester, Birmingham, etc., hold various track meetings for races varying from one mile to fifty miles, the longer distances being sometimes paced by tandems. Scotland and Ireland also have championship meetings.

Road racing consists of important events such as the Bath Road C.C, North Road C.C, Anfield C.C, and Midland C. and A.C. fifty and hundred mile races; the North Road C.C. 24 hours race; and other classic events. The speeds in such fifty and hundred mile races as the above reach over twenty miles an hour average, and in the last North Road 24 hours race the winner rode 378¾ miles on the fairly level roads of the Eastern counties in the neighbourhood of Wisbech and King's Lynn.