View source for Foster Breaks the Bicycle Record. - San Francisco Chronicle, 31 May 1891

=== Foster Breaks the Bicycle Record. ===
==== A BICYCLE CONTEST. ====
===== Twenty-five-Mile Road Race Over the Alameda Triangle. =====
No event of the year has excited so much interest among the wheelmen of the Pacific coast as did the [[race::California Associated Cycling Clubs' annual twenty-five-mile race|twenty-five-mile road
race over the San Leandro triangle]] yesterday morning. There were nineteen entries, and bicycle riders from all parts of the State were present to witness the contest. It was a [[handicap]] race, [[professionals]] barred, the starters, with their time allowances in minutes, being as follows: [[H. R. Williams Jr.]], [[Alameda Bicycle Club]], 9; [[E. W. Bradford]], Alameda Bicycle Club, 8: [[Louis Vide]], [''probably [[Louis Asheild Vidy]]''] [[League American Wheelmen]], 6; [[F. Larder]], [[Garden City Wheelmen]], 6; [[W. R. Lipsett]], Garden City Wheelmen, 5-1/2; [[Fred Brown]], Alameda Bicycle Club, 5; [[Al Alcayaga]], unattached, 5; [[T. H. Doane]], unattached, 5; [[C. H. Bliss]], [[Bay City Wheelmen]], 4-1/2; [[F. G. White]], Alameda Bicycle Club, 4-1/2; [[W. H. Hebard]], Alameda Bicycle Club, 4-1/2: [[W. E. Lee]], Alameda Bicycle Club, 3-1/2; [[O. L. Pickard]], League American Wheelmen, 34; [[D. Marshall]], Bay City Wheelmen, 3; [[George Osen]], Garden City Wheelmen, 3: [[W. F. Foster]], Alameda Bicycle Club, 3; [[F. Waller]], [[Oakland Bicycle Club]], 2-1/2: [[E. E. Stoddard]], Bay City Wheelmen, [[scratch]]; [[J. F. Ives]], Alameda Bicycle Club, scratch.

[[File:A Wheelman's Trophy San Francisco Chronicle Sun May 31 1891 .jpeg|thumb|center|A wheelman's trophy.]]

The road was heavy on account of the rain, but as the sun came out it gradually improved. The time for [[San Leandro triangle|the first lap]] was slow, but later on the pace became very fast. At the beginning of the last lap Foster, Osen and Waller were close together, with the others spread over a long stretch of back country. A desperate finish ensued. W. F. Foster, on a [[Victor]] [[cushion tire]] [[safety]], winning by five yards in 1h. 25m. 57s., beating the previous coast record by eight minutes and two seconds. George Osen finished recond, F. Waller third, F. G. White fourth, Al Alcayaga fifth, A. L. Pickard [''O. L. Pickard''] sixth, J. L. Ives [''[[J. F. Ives]]''] seventh E. E. Stoddard eighth, D. Marshal ninth and W. E. Lee tenth, all of these beating the former coast record of 1h. 33m. 59s., made by T. G. Elwell [''[[F. D. Elwell]]''] [[race:Interstate Club Road Race Association 25-mile race|June 2, 1888]].

Waller's corrected time was 1:24:57, which gave him the medal for the best [[safety]] record. It is said that he has only been riding the [[wheel]] three months.

The two scratch men, Ives and Stoddard, rode to beat one another, and both saved themselves for the finish. The result was a grand race on the last lap. Ives had the pace of his opponent, however, and by a well-timed [[spurt]] crossed the tape first. After the race the prizes were distributed by the officers of the Alameda Bicycle Club, under whose auspices it was held. It was admitted to be the best road race ever witnessed in California.

<iframe key="newspapers" path="clippings/embed_clipping/?id=76259828&w=700&h=700"/>

[[Category:articles]]
[[Category:races]]
{{#set:
 publication date=1891/05/31
 |newspaper=San Francisco Chronicle
}}
{{#set:
 race date=1891/05/29
 |race=California Associated Cycling Clubs' annual twenty-five-mile race
}}