The Chelsea and Peninsula cyclist, riding off a 25-minute handicap, fought off a sprint finish from LaTrobe Cycling Club's James Timmer-Arends (17 minutes) to finish the 93-kilometre event in two hours, 43 minutes, 10 seconds on Saturday.

But he was nearly upstaged by young Geelong upstart Leigh Howard, who burst off scratch to be pipped of the classic title by one minute, 11 seconds.

It was a thrilling start to a big weekend of cycling in the region, with Ballarat-Sebastopol Cycling Club hosting the Victorian club teams time trial championships at Miners Rest yesterday.

Veteran McGeoch was fresh back on the open circuit, at the urge of friends, after retiring to dabble in club events.

He had his eye on the prize from the start.

"Winning was something I had thought about this time. To come into an event like this you're usually just happy to place or ride a certain time," McGeoch said.

Eighteen-year-old Howard's efforts were not all in vain.

The rising Victorian Institute of Sport star clocked 2:19.21 to pocket $1500 and don the blue CycleSport Victoria jersey for the fastest race time.

Howard worked hard with his fellow scratch riders from the Rockbank start to catch the middle bunch heading into Warrenheip.

He continued strong to chip off his competitors to the Wendouree finish.

Not long home from a European campaign with the Australian Institute of Sport, Howard said it felt great to prove his worth on Victorian roads.

"It was definitely good for me to show I can still sprint competitively - any chance I get to sprint, I'm happy," Howard said.

Master rider Ken Heres (21 minutes) was the first Ballarat-Sebastopol Cycling Club rider home in the 98th running of the prestigious event.

Carnegie-Caulfield elite rider Nicole Whitburn was the first unplaced female.

A record 214 riders faced the starter, following in the tradition Australian of cycling legends and past competitors Sir Hubert Opperman, Russell Mockridge and Sid Patterson.