The present invention relates to a loading device for a shoe press having a shoe press roll (1) and a mating roll (2) for forming a press nip, preferably in a dewatering device such as in a papermaking machine, through which press nip at least one paper web is guided for dewatering. The shoe press roll (1) has at least one press shoe (4) and at least one supporting device (5), and the press shoe (4) and the supporting device (5) are connected by a multiplicity of hydraulic devices, in order to load the press shoe (4). The invention is characterized in that the hydraulic device has at least one first guide element (7) for guiding a cylinder sleeve (8) substantially linearly, and the cylinder sleeve (8) engages at least in sections into at least one second guide element (9) which is connected to the press shoe (4) in a substantially stationary manner.