NEW YORK, July 1. - Chicago during the coming month will be the Mecca for the wheelmen of the world. Indeed I may safely say that not during the present century will there be such a congregation of famous bicyclists. Elaborate přeparations have been going on for months for the international races, and indications point to a brilliant meeting. The contests for the championships are bound to be highly exciting, for the attention of the whole cycling world will be focused on the races, and the cracks of several countries who will be pitted against each other will readily recognize their chance to make or lose a reputation. I do not think I am wrong in saying that more than one record will be broken, as the conditions will be all in the favor of the men.
Looking over the field in a calm and conservative manner I think that the colors of America will be borne well and gallantly by Zimmerman. Without doubt he is the most famous bicyclist the world has ever known, and I confess that in all the motley crowd who will race against him I do not think there is one capable of downing him. If he should be beaten the only excuse that can be offered will be carelessness on his part.
Below I have endeavored to present a short sketch of the principal riders that will compete, their records, style, etc.
Schofield, the champion short-distance rider of England and holder of the short distance records, resembles George Smith of the Riversides of this city. He is known to the profession as a "flash" rider, and can cover a quarter of a mile in almost marvelous time. To me he seems to make his whole effort in that distance. He is also a very quick starter.
Zimmerman is a better man than Schofield, and much stronger. The longer the distance the better, I think, his chances are. If Zimmerman is beaten by him it will be through carelessness. Smith of the Riversides is a quick starter and quick to get into tow. He will probably lead Zimmerman at the start, but the latter would beat him at the finish.
Harris, another English crack, can ride well at longer distances. In style he resembles Bliss of the Chicago Cycling Club. He is not classed as an A1 man in getting off at the start. He is a good handicap man, but hardly up to the championship form. He is able to cut down a big field, has a good head, seldom gets rattled, and is a game man at the finish. He holds the English mile record, and has had plenty of experience, and if Zimmerman grows overconfident he might beat him.
A word to champion riders may not come amiss here. One thing they should never forget, and that is they always have a man to beat. Sometimes the champion underrates his man, neglects his training and becomes careless, forgetting that an inferior rider is ambitious and anxious to beat him. The champion, strong in the knowledge of many victories, thinks: "Oh, well, I beat him once and can do it again. He is my meat." That is all very well theoretically, but not practically.
At times Zimmerman is not so careful as he might be in his preparations and is likely to be caught off his guard. That is the only chance I can see that Harris has of beating him.
F. J. Osmond, the greatest English rider, who is now in Chicago, can ride all kinds of distances in any company. He is probably the most noted racing man in the world save Zimmerman. Osmond is a remarkable rider and be stands with "Willie" Windle, of the Springfield Bicycle Club, at record performances. These have been a series of surprises to every one. He will, however, find it extremely difficult to train properly in this country, as bis business in Chicago will require the better part of his time.
Another thing that will tell against Osmond and for that matter will affect every English rider, will be the extremely warm weather here. During August, the month in which the international championship will be held, the weather is to be very warm, and I think it will greatly affect Osmond. Lewis and Willis, two famous English cracks, fell victims to the heat while here and were easily defeated. I think the other foreign riders will be severely affected. If Osmond manages to weather the heat there is no doubt in my mind but that he will give Zimmerman a hard fight for championship honors.
Zimmerman beat De Cross, the Scotchman, quite handily in Paris, so I think Zimmerman holds him safe. Lumsden, the stocky Scotchman, is outclassed, so that outside of Osmond I think Zimmerman holds the Englishmen safe.
The Frenchmen are a hard class to judge owing to their peculiar distances. Good amateurs are exceedingly scarce in France, because there when an amateur shows good form he immediately becomes a professional. In America an amateur with a reputation is grabbed up by a manufacturer, who employs him to ride his wheel. The rider gets a position in the house for advertising the wheel. He also receives a good salary and has plenty of time in I which to train. In winter the amateur is sent out on the road - that is, if he has the necessary ability. If he has not he is told to loaf around the factory.
To return to the Frenchmen, I feel confident in saying that they will give but little trouble to the Americans.
Zimmerman's stronghold is his ability to cling and put in a great spurt at any part of a race. The speed he develops in the last hundred yards of a race is wonderful. He seems to be just coming when all the other men are tired out. This is due to his great thigh bones, large blood vessels and large heart, giving the blood great circulation. I believe that the blood has a great deal to do with a cyclist's speed. Zimmerman's heart is an inch larger than the heart of the ordinary individual, and, of course, gives him great pumping power. His chief fault is his carelessness in training, thus becoming liable to be beaten when not in shape.
I have trained with Zimmerman and know that many a time the champion and I have been out seeing the sights when other riders were in bed and fast asleep. The champion is a good man in an open race, where he can have his field with him and watch his competitors closely. Often I have seen him tag along in the rear of the bunch and in that case the man in the lead is liable to spurt at any moment. Zimmerman, through his great, driving power, can get up quickly and make him act as pacemaker. He eventually wears the man down and beats him out.
I do not think that Zimmerman is a good man in a handicap race, and this is due to his inability to get through his field. George Taylor, who is a remarkably fast man in getting off at the start, can beat Zimmerman almost at any time in a handicap race. I know of several races in which Taylor could easily have outridden him, but for reasons best known to himself he failed to do so. Zimmerman will have more to fear from the American riders than from any of the foreigners. There are more fast and better men riding in this country to-day than ever before.
George C. Banker, I think, is one of Zimmerman's most dangerous rivals. Banker has had the benefit of "Jack" McMaster's training at Princeton, and is a vastly improved man. He was a first-class handicap man last year and showed good judgment in all of his races, and it seems but natural that he should be a champion. Both his brothers, N. C. and William, were great riders. Young Banker is a man of the Zimmerman build who has not yet reached his limit, and is rather an unknown quantity. He is not a quick starter, but he can set a pace and keep it up fully as long as Zimmerman. He has served as the latter's pacemaker, and has profited thereby.
In handicap races Banker has received from fifteen to twenty yards while Zimmerman was a scratch man. It has been claimed that Banker is weak-hearted and can only be trained to a certain point. I can say that I have never seen any signs of weakness about him. I think he is a plucky rider, and have seen him ride races when his pluck as much as his speed made him a winner. Another man who may cause Zimmerman trouble is Wheeler. Many people say that Zimmerman allowed Wheeler to beat him in Havana, so that some of the big athletic clubs would send him to Europe. I know that this is entirely untrue. Wheeler beat him fairly and squarely. I don't believe Zimmerman would intentionally lose a race to any man. Wheeler is a dare-devil rider and will take any chance to win a race. He is a happy-go-lucky sort of a fellow and, as the saying goes, "don't care whether school keeps or not." In fact he never trained so that he could do his best. He has got a rat up his sleeve, as his race with Zimmerman shows, and he will probably display it at the international championships.
W. W. Windle is the greatest bicycle performer in the world against the watch. He is a conscientious trainer and a man for whom, when put against the watch, no task is too great. He is liable to break any record. His bulldog tenacity when Wheeler, Campbell and myself paced him in the triplet at Springfield last October, when he broke the record, was remarkable. He clung to us like a leech. During the past year Windle bas lost a great deal of his oldtime dash and spirit.
He is a man who requires counsel and advice and the friendship of a man who is able to ride and who will keep constantly encouraging him. In that way Windle might be brought around. As it now is he trains on his own favorite track and knows nothing about how the other men are riding. In fact he doesn't see them until he meets them in a race, and as a result seems to wait too long before he makes his final effort. He, however, has always had the aid of one of the most expert pacemakers and special machines. Other men have not been so fortunate, so it is hard to tell what they could have done with these advantages.
J. S. Johnson, the Minneapolis crack, is a man likely to beat anybody. His chief fault seems to be his desire to make the pace in a race and do all the work. He seems to forget that the other men can keep up with him, and if their hearts are in the right place can beat him at the finish. I don't believe there is a man in the world who can set a pace that would run a man off his wheel. Unless Johnson breaks off this habit he may not have a chance with Zimmerman.
Hoyland Smith is a great performer at the longer distances. During the past season, however, he has lost much of the sprint which characterized his work. Smith was a great rider during the regime of the solid tire. Being a light man the vibration did not affect him as it did others. Unless he improves wonderfully he will not have much chance in the championships.
Tyler of the Springfield club, who once held the mile record, is a man who takes some time to get in form, but when he once gets going can put a pace that would kill ninety out of a hundred men. He is also a strong finisher. He is one of the squarest and most gentlemanly men on the track in America, and with the Springfield people he occupies the place once held by the famous George Hender. He will have a great chance with Zimmerman.
C. M. Murphy classes with Banker or Wheeler, and has already shown a remarkable pace on the road. He may surprise the best of them before the season is over. He is bigger, stronger, and shows better judgment in his training and races than ever before. Last year he beat Zimmerman with a fifteen-yard handicap, and as he is growing faster every day, it would not surprise me if he beats Zimmerman in one of the championship races.
Taylor is a quick starter, and rides on his nervous force a good deal, but he is not in Zimmerman's class. He needs a good deal of encouragement.
Rich is a remarkable example of what a plucky rider can do. He is one of the most experienced and best generals on the track. He knows all the tricks, and can use them to the best possible advantage. He is riding better than ever this year, and at five miles is likely to give Zimmerman & hard race.
W. C. Sanger of Milwaukee is a dangerous man, and well worth watching. He has little or no experience, but has clever people behind him. He is well built and plucky, a slow starter, but a strong finisher.
"Billy" Rhodes of Chicago, the old-time professional, is a most dangerous man. He has had lots of experience, is quick at the start and can set a good pace and keep it.
Herbert Githers of Chicago is a likely fellow. He is a quick, active man, and relies on his nervous force. With proper handling he is likely to surprise anybody.
Lumsden is a master of the track and a Western favorite. He has a first-class chance against Zimmerman. He has a remarkable spurt at the finish and is the hero of many races.
"Bridie" Munger of Chicago is a hustler, and anybody who beats him will have to hustle, for he rides from start to finish.
WILLIAM F. MURPHY.
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