Gordon McCauley wins Tour of Tasmania, Patrick Shaw wins Scody Cup
At 38, Gordon McCauley started the 127-rider Tour of Tasmania as the oldest man on the field, and finished the 600km, 10-stage event in first place overall, one minutes and 52 seconds
ahead of George Bennett and 3:58 ahead of former race leader Rhys Pollock.
"To be honest, I go into every single race I ride to win,” said McCauley. “I didn't get to the line first this afternoon but I'm very excited about wearing this leader's jersey."
The final stage was won by Cam Peterson ahead of Joshua Prete in a breakaway which stayed ahead of the race for the last 15km of the stage. Alex Carver finished 41 seconds behind at the head of the peloton
for third place.
The event was the last of four cycling Tours which make up the Scody Cup. McCauley finished the series in second overall, in fine form to compete for New Zealand in the time-trial competition at the World
Championships, held in Geelong, Australia at the end of the month. He will then head to New Delhi, India in October for his fourth time competing in the Commonwealth Games, held every four years.
"I wouldn't be going to India if I didn't think I could win," said McCauley. "Realistically, though, I'd be pleased to finish in the top 25 at the worlds. It's a different standard."
The Scody Cup was won by Patrick Shaw, who has led the event since his victory in the first of the four tours, the Tour of Gippsland, held from July 28 to August 1. He was then runner-up in the second
event less than two weeks later and finished seventh in the Tour of the Murray River at the beginning of September. He finished the Tour of Tasmania also in seventh overall, 5:26 behind McCauley.
"This is a dream victory," said Shaw.
Podium finisher Pollock took control of the Tour after the grueling, unexpectedly snowy second stage, but lost the leader’s jersey to McCauley after a breakaway win in stage six.
"I reckon I was lucky," said McCauley. “I was able to draft behind the better climbers. I could not go any faster but I knew I could time-trial back on.”
Of the 127 riders who began the Tour, less than 100 finished, most of the drop-outs giving in to the rain, hail and snow of the first half of the race. McCauley rode patiently, finishing the final stage
in 44th place with his victory already sealed. As well as the top two spots going to New Zealanders, their countryman Alexander Ray also won the sprint competition and was named the most aggressive rider overall.
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