O'Shea wins Melbourne Cup on Wheels

The night after he convincingly claimed the Australian omnium championship, O'Shea rode a faultless race to win the final of the 2000m handicap event last night at the Darebin track in Melbourne.

The South Australian rode off scratch and in the final he was part of a strong group of backmarkers that featured three-time cup winner Leigh Howard.

The backmarkers had control with less than two of the eight laps left and O'Shea timed his run perfectly, scorching home for a convincing win.

Alex Edmondson, who was to partner O'Shea later on in the Australian madison championship, rode off 50m and took second place.Howard, also a scratch marker, was third.

O'Shea finished second last year at the prestige Austral wheelrace.

"It's good to finally get on top of the podium in a handicap," he said."For about five years we all copped a belting from Leigh in these handicaps, so it was good to get one over him."

West Australian Isabella King rode off 20m to win the women's Melbourne Cup on Wheels title.

O'Shea has come back from nearly two years of illness to become a strong contender for Olympic selection.The former junior world track champion noted that 12 months ago, he was barely riding at all.

After steadily regaining fitness this year he impressed last month at the Astana round of the World Cup track series, winning the individual pursuit and combining with Edmondson to take out the madison.

O'Shea convincingly won the omnium title, held over Wednesday and Thursday, by winning four of its six events.The omnium will make its Olympic debut at the London Games.