VON HOFF JOINS

SCODY CUP HONOR ROLL

Steele Von Hoff joined an illustrious group of bike riders on Sunday October 9, with his emphatic victory in the 2011 Scody Cup, Australia's premier road cycling series.

The series, founded in 1996, was conducted on four of the nation's best domestic cycling tours:

• Lakes Oil Tour of Gippsland, held ( July 27 - 31),
• Eastern Oak Tour of Geelong (August 10 - 14,)
• Tifosi Tour of the Murray River (August 28 - September 4)
• Caterpillar Underground Mining Tour of Tasmania

         (Sunday October 9).

An accumulated points and $130,000 prizemoney system operated on the cup which has produced past winners like Olympians Eddie Salas(1999) and Robert McLachlan ('03 and '05), Tour of Italy stage winner David McKenzie ('01), world Under 23 road race championships placegetters William Walker ('04) and Wes Sulzberger ('06), national road champion Peter McDonald ('07), world track champion Leigh Howard ('08), and Australian criterium champion Jonathon Cantwell ('09).

Von Hoff, 23, who until March, 2011, was working as a full-time boilermaker in the outer Melbourne suburb of Dandenong, won an unprecedented 12 stages of the opening three Scody Cup tours to establish a 100-plus point lead over his nearest rivals.

He did not contest the Tassie tour, choosing to line-up in the Elgas Launceston to New Norfolk Classic on October 2, which he won, and will target the Eastern Oak Melbourne to Warrnambool Classic on October 29 as his final big race of the year.

Von Hoff  compiled a total of 271 Scody Cup points to win by 88 from his Genesys team-mate, Tour of Tasmania winner Nathan Haas, with the "Taree Terror" Phillip Grenfell (Bikebug.com) seven points back in third place.

"It's such an honor to be among such illustrious company," Von Hoff said.

"The Scody Cup is a greatly-respected prize. It's been won by some awesome bike riders. It's my privilege to have my name on the honor roll among them."

Von Hoff watched the six-day Tour of Tasmania, mainly from the comfort of the Genesys team vehicle and was on hand at the finish in Devonport to accept his well-justified accolades.

He paid tribute to his Genesys team-mates and and the support he received from team boss Andrew Christie-Johnson.

Full details of all Caribou's events are here on this website. Check via the calendar for updates.