Lang turns the tables on Howard

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Unheralded Sydney sider Richard Lang upstaged hot favourite Leigh Howard in the spectacular forth stage from Trafalgar to Walhalla in the Lakes Oil Tour Of Gippsland today.

Lang, 20, who studies Business at Sydney University and works part-time as a bike mechanic, finished third to Howard and Victorian Joel Pearson in the 28.5 kilometre morning criterium in Trafalgar before turning the tables on the Geelong protégé over 75 kilometres later in the day.

But Howard, 19, has an impressive 25 second lead in the general classification ahead of South Australian Tim Roe and Queenslander David Kemp.

Howard is in superb form in the 5 – day tour, with two stage wins and a second place so far. He recently signed a contract with the Columbia trade team and will leave Australia after the Gippsland Tour for extensive racing in Europe which will include the up-coming Tour Of Ireland.

“I seem to be in pretty good form”, Howard said on the podium after he accepted numerous jerseys for his performances. Howard is leading the overall classification, the criterium championship and the rising star award.

With three intense days of racing remaining, Roe looms as Howard’s main danger for the yellow jersey when the five hundred kilometre tour ends with a water-front criterium in Paynesville on Sunday.

Roe, runner-up in the 2008 Tour of Gippsland, is leading the King of the Mountains championship and will test Howard in the 88 kilometre stage from sale to Licola on Friday afternoon.

The stage will be preceded by a 36 kilometre criterium at Sale Primary School.