Cycling: Racer disgusted by 'bullying' tactics

An Invercargill cyclist competing in this year's Tour of Southland is "disgusted" with what he calls the bully and terror antics used by senior riders to dictate a go-slow during Friday's controversial eighth stage near Te Anau.

Southland Boys' High School teacher Dave Beadle was a member of the Southwest Helicopters team, the only all-Southland team in the race.

At the top of Blackmount Hill race organisers stopped the riders and decided to restart the race 26km ahead of their position because of high winds and the time delay the weather had caused.

The move prompted a revolt by riders who refused to contest the end of the stage, leaving Gordon McCauley to extend the four minute 30 seconds lead he had built at the top of the hill to head off the bulk of the pack by about 20min at the finish line.

Beadle said many riders were not immediately aware of the tactics being adopted at the front of the bunch.

"It was a revolt organised at the top by the big guns. Calder Stewart and The Southland Times (teams) were heavily involved," Beadle said.

"I heard Subway was as well but I'm not sure."

Beadle was restarted in the back peloton -- where he had been when the race was halted.

He was riding steadily in a pack of about 40 riders but it became obvious not long after the race resumed what was going on.

"About six or seven kilometres into it we saw these guys sitting up across the road.

"They were going a pretty slow pace. It was pretty apparent they weren't racing."

Riders were spat at and threatened they would be kicked off their bikes if they went ahead, he said.

"It was pretty much an intimidating bully boy thing."

Close to the end of the stage Marcus Roy of the Fulton Hogan team had tried to make a break racing into his home town with members of another team, Beadle said.

"It was a big thing for them and they just wanted to have a go.

"They were shut down. They should have been allowed to have a go."

Beadle said he, and others, were exhausted and unable to challenge.

"I was shattered -- just grateful to get to the finish."

But the incident had soured his memory of the race.

"It's disappointing.

"I've got boys who have just started to cycle. What sort of example does it set?"

Beadle realised teams were upset by the officials' decision but he thought it was unfair that other riders were dragged into their protest.

He believed if the big guns had tried they could have closed the gap on McCauley.

"They (protesting teams) would have really gone up in mana if they'd done that."

He hoped organisers would think twice before allowing the riders responsible for the protest back in the race. Instead the opportunity should be given to young riders, Beadle said.

"Give them a bloody crack at it before these highly paid spoiled brats."

- nzpa