Tour winner Patrick Shaw (Virgin Blue/RBS Morgan) from Victoria contemplates his change in career direction and his continued assault on the 2010 Scody Cup National Road Series.(Image credit: Shane Goss/licoricegallery.com)
Pat Shaw working hard for Huon-Genesys.(Image credit: Mark Gunter - markgunter.com.au)
Huon-Genesys rider Pat Shaw patrols the front of the bunch(Image credit: Neil Walker)
Nathan Haas and his Genesys Wealth Advisors teammates(Image credit: Jarrod Partridge - jxpphotography.com)
Road captain and architect behind much of the success that Huon-Genesys have had in Australia and abroad, Pat Shaw, will spend his final year of racing with rival Subaru National Road Series (NRS) team Satalyst Giant Racing. Shaw made the call to retire mid-way through the season and let Huon-Genesys management know that he was hanging it up. Thus Huon-Genesys started their 2014 recruitment with the chunk of the budget that would have paid Shaw's wage now open to chase new riders.
As the season drew to a close, Shaw -or more importantly- Shaw's wife had a change of heart; deciding that just that one more year was on the cards.
"My wife was the reason that I am riding on for another year, she said I should ride for just one last year," Shaw told Cyclingnews.
Shaw took the advice to heart and got the ball rolling on securing a ride for 2014.
"I spoke to Andrew [Christie-Johnston] and Steve [Price] first obviously, riding for Genesys next year would obviously be ideal but it was just never looking like it was possible," he said.
For Shaw, his money had been spent, and his spot in the Huon-Genesys roster was no longer available, but an offer from Satalyst Giant Racing saved the day.
"I have known Pat for some time now and have watched him be a key man in his team and I am now pleased that we will have the opportunity to work with him to develop Satalyst Giant Racing," said Satalyst director Wayne Evans.
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Shaw is grateful, but remains bittersweet about moving on to a new team.
"Wayne's given me an opportunity and I am grateful for that," he said. "It's hard to put it in words because I am disappointed that I won't be with the group that more or less I've helped build. But I am looking forward to the challenges we will come up against next year."
Shaw has decided that given next season will be his last he will also undertake study on the side as he transitions towards a working life for 2015 onwards.
"My plan for next year is to race for another season but also to do some study," he explained. "I've also made an agreement with Satalyst that if I am unwell or unfit then I can act as a DS. Which is an agreement that I am very happy to fulfil because originally I was wanting to DS with them. So to ride with them as well is going to be, well, we're going to do some big things."
Famous in the Australian peloton for saying exactly what he thinks, Shaw is a highly polarising figure. Whilst under no illusions as to his 'reputation', Shaw is pleased with the response he's received to the news he will ride on for one last year believing that actions speak for themselves.
"I've had a ridiculous amount of people try and contact me to try and get a ride at the team," he explained. "So it's interesting to see that a couple of personnel changes can change the attitude towards the whole program."
Shaw is realistic to the challenges ahead, but having won the overall NRS standings himself in 2010 and been instrumental in the victories of Nathan Haas [2011] and Jack Haig [2013], Shaw may have a few tricks up his sleeve yet.
"Having Genesys as the strongest team in the competition this year and probably even stronger next year, how will it change the dynamics having me on another team?" Shaw mused.
