Geelong cyclist Howard outguns Brown
Geelong teenager Leigh Howard has produced a stunning win in the second Revolution series cycling event at Vodafone Arena in Melbourne.
The 18-year-old hauled in Athens Olympic gold medallist Graeme Brown in the final lap of the handicap Melbourne Cup on Wheels to claim his second victory of the night.
It capped off a winning double for the rising star after also holding off Brown to win the scratch race earlier in the evening.
In the feature race Stuart O'Grady produced a gutsy performance to lead for the last ten laps and take out the Champions Race.
The Olympic champion, who claims to be only 70 percent fit as he still recovers from a nasty spill at this year's Tour De France, showed his track racing skill, maintaining his front position to the line in the Derny race.
"There was a lot of noise from the crowd and a lot of noise from my heart," he said after completing two laps of honour to celebrate the win.
In the Melbourne Cup on Wheels final Howard started from the scratch mark alongside Brown and Sydney Olympic Games gold medallist Brett Aitken.
Despite the quality opposition the teenager displayed all the maturity and talent of his much more experienced rivals to claim victory in the 71st edition of the event.
"It was fantastic to come around Graeme Brown on the last lap, it's not a bad effort to do that to an Olympic champion," Howard said after the race.
In other events, Victorian Shane Perkins claimed the men's Keirin final, Anna Meares won the women's sprint and sister Kerrie captured the keirin while Kate Cullen the scratch race.
Brown returned to easily win the men's elimination race.
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