Shaw takes narrow lead from stage winner Von Hoff

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The consistent Patrick Shaw claimed a slender lead in the Eastern Oak Tour of Geelong today after a spirited second placing to Genesys team-mate Steele Von Hoff in the 63km Grovedale criterium.

The brilliant Von Hoff got the money, but Shaw captured the chocolates and moved into outright favoritism to win his second straight Scody Cup.

Both riders were on equal overall time of 2:53:30 after yesterday's chaotic, rain-marred opening two stages, with Von Hoff awarded the yellow leader's jersey because he won the 79.6km trek from Lara to the You Yangs. Von Hoff, winner of five stages at the recent Lakes Oil Tour of Gippsland, relished the clear, dry conditions of the Grovedale speed test, conducted over 30 laps of a 2.1km circuit in front of hundreds of school children.

The powerful Genesys team and the V Australia contingent, back racing the Scody Cup circuit after several months in America, threw down the gauntlet to each other over the final six laps, but the best the V boys could manage was third place to Ben Kersten.

The Melbourne Commonwealth Games time trial gold medallist wasn't happy with alleged interference he claimed he received before the last turn into the home straight and lodged a protest through team boss Henk Vogels. Chief commissaire Matthew Wright dismissed the complaint because of lack of evidence. Kersten also finished third to team-mate Scott Law and Von Hoff in yesterday's first stage criterium at North Shore.

Shaw collected nine bonus seconds from the Grovedale intermediate sprints and another eight for his second placing.

Von Hoff rode conservatively throughout the criterium and did not figure in the City of Greater Geelong sprint championship. Shaw wound up with a 7secs margin over Von Hoff in general classification, with another Genesys teammate Nathan Haas in third place, 15secs in arrears.

Shaw was pleased to be in yellow and gave every indication he plans to hold on to it when the five-day tour concludes with the Victorian open criterium championship in the Eastern Gardens at 1 p.m. on Sunday.

"Any jersey is a good jersey but this jersey is the best one," he said.

The tour continues tomorrow with the Victorian open time trial championship at Gnawarre-Ceres.

The GMHBA's Women's Tour also starts tomorrow with a 28.2km time trial over the same Barrabool Road course, starting at 10am. The 407km tour is backed by Tourism Victoria and the City of Greater Geelong. It is also a feature event on Cycling Australia's 2011 national road series.

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