Hole in one: Pure Tasmania/TIS teammates Luke Ockerby and Jack Matthews (at rear) and Matthew Rice and Alex Clements (front) with an extra large golf ball at Launceston's Country Club Casino prior to the running of the 2010 Launceston to New Norfolk One-Day Classic and the Tour of Tasmania.(Image credit: Shane Goss/licoricegallery.com)
Putting out (L-R): Ben Dyball, Patrick Shaw and Cameron Peterson - all from Virgin Blue/RBS Morgans - get in some practice on the putting green at Launceston's Country Club Casino ahead of the 2010 Tour of Tasmania.(Image credit: Shane Goss/licoricegallery.com)
Lawson Homes teammates (L-R): Tim Elmer, Joel Stearnes and Michael Smith try their hand at some golf prior to the start of the 2010 Tour of Tasmania in Launceston.(Image credit: Shane Goss/licoricegallery.com)
2010 Scody Cup leader Patrick Shaw (Virgin Blue/RBS Morgans) knows the road ahead to New Norfolk near Hobart will be a long one in the 200km classic.(Image credit: Shane Goss/licoricegallery.com)
Cycling Australia’s National Road Series heads to Tasmania for a week of racing, starting with today’s Launceston to New Norfolk Classic. Scody Cup leader Patrick Shaw has tipped his Virgin Blue-RBS Morgans teammate Ben Dyball as a favourite to win today’s one-day race.
“Ben will go up over Poatina a minute-and-a-half faster than anybody in Australia,” Shaw said of the tough climb. “If he can find his climbing legs he’ll be tough to beat in both races.
“Launceston to New Norfolk is an exciting race, very tough, but a few of those young fellows from New Zealand can really climb,” he said. “They won’t be bothered by cold and rainy weather either.”
The one day race, a round of the men’s series, is followed by the Tour of Tasmania, a round of the national team’s series. In addition to the NRS series the Tasmanian tour contribute towards the Scody Cup title, which Shaw leads by 44 points over Genesys Wealth Advisers’ Joel Pearson.
“I really have a lot of time for him as rider. He rode a tremendous race at the Murray tour. Some of his (Genesys) team tactics looked silly but they turned out to be brilliant,” Shaw said. “I am going to Tassie to win the Scody Cup. It means a lot to me. I want to have the title.”
The Tour of Tasmania runs from September 16 – 21.
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