The Duarte Cyclone and the 1891 Los Angeles to Monrovia Road Race

The Los Angeles to Santa Monica Road Race may have been the "big one," but it was not the only one. A month after the first LA to SM race another race took place, this one of twenty miles between Los Angeles and Monrovia. Promotions for the race began in early August with the announcement that $250 gold medals would be up for grabs.

On the morning of August 15 racers and spectators gathered outside the offices of the Los Angeles Athletic Club at Commercial and Main Streets. The start list of racers was fair, but was lacking many of the regions' best. The one outstanding name was that of D. Lee Shrode, popularly known as the Duarte Cyclone, who was riding a Star Bicycle and starting at 8:15. Shrode had been one of the scratch men, and finished ninth, at Santa Monica a month earlier. Starting three minutes ahead of Shrode was W. A. Taylor and J. Stimson. Starting at 8:09 were S. W. Barnes and Ray Cogswell, at 8:07 came S. Wicks, and at 8:05 Robert Neeley would start. Three riders would start the race, at 8:00, W. R. Beardeslee, E. B. Norman, and J. Merrill.

With little surprise Shrode won the race in a time of 1:36:30, with Wicks coming second in 1:47:20, Merrill third in 1:53:50, Neeley fourth in 1:57:3, and Beardeslee fifth in 2:19:45. The wide gaps in time were generally blamed on poor handicapping. Never-the-less, it was noted that the "wheelmen had a splendid time at the conclusion of the race, in which the pretty girls of the San Gabriel valley joined" the racers for an afternoon luncheon in the park.