Page:The fastest bicycle rider in the world - 1928 - Taylor.djvu/167

 I won the third of a mile handicap race for professionals, Boisvert being second and Williams third. The time was :40.

Commenting on the meet one of the Montreal dailies printed the following: ‘There was a monstrous crowd at the Queen’s Park track yesterday to witness the cream of the bicycle riders of this country and the United States as they strove for the laurels in the Grand National Circuit Meet. All of the races were hotly contested, in one or two instances the heats nearly resulted in ties. Included in the field of starters was the old favorite, Major Taylor of Worcester, Massachusetts. The appearance of the ‘Major’ on the track was a signal for a hearty round of applause, which the crack rider politely acknowledged by doffing his cap.

“Several surprises were sprung on the audience during the afternoon, the most notable one being the winning by Owen Kimble of the one-mile championship event with Major Taylor second. It was generally conceded by the knowing ones that the Major had a ‘cinch,’ but it seems that on the finish Taylor misjudged his sprint with the result that before he was aware of the fact Kimble darted past taking the lead and flying over the line a safe winner. It was a great spurt and although the true merits of the race were challenged by the many, nevertheless, the winner deserved the victory, not only for his plucky fight throughout the race, but the manner in which he grasped the opportunity to turn a certain defeat into a triumphant win when only a few yards from the finish.

“This seemed to act as a tonic on the ‘Major,’ for in the one-third of a mile handicap which followed, Taylor, who had practically the same men against him as he had in the former race, set a terrific pace from the crack of the pistol and after one of the most exciting and keenly contested bicycle races ever witnessed at Montreal, and probably not surpassed by any other in America for the same distance, flew over the line a winner by ten yards, making the remarkably fast time of :40. Taylor is remarkably popular with Montreal audiences and it seems they have not forgotten the little incident that happened at the World’s Meet last year when he was ‘gyped’ out of a hard earned victory in the half-mile open event through a ruling of an unscrupulous judge.

“When the two mile handicap professional race was announced it was learned with deep regret that the ‘Major’ was in no condition to contest it as he had become suddenly indisposed, no doubt as a result of the terrible pace he had set in the third of a mile event. This was very disappointing as it seemed to take the interest out of this particular contest.”

Following my victorious riding in Indianapolis, and prior to the Montreal races mentioned above I took part in two other programs.