DIBBEN VICTORIOUS IN BELGIAN KERMESSE FOR GIANT SPONSORED GWR TEAM

GWR Team Press & PR Office 29th April 2008

Sixteen year old Peter Dibben powered to victory in Belgium on Saturday as the weekend saw a string of fine performances for the GWR Team/Scott Wilson/Giant squad.

Dibben, from Southampton, contested the 84 kilometre Sleidinge Kermesse in Eastern Flanders on Saturday, where 93 competitors commenced 12 laps of a 7 kilometre circuit. Also riding the event was his GWR team mate Sam Redding, along with Toby Meadows (Team Corridori) all benefiting from the racing excursion arranged by John Barclay.

Warm sunshine was a welcome change and this encouraged, from the opening kilometres, a typically aggressive race which saw the riders attacking from the gun, on the wide flowing circuit. After around 20 kilometres a small group managed to escape the grip of the peloton, with Redding among them. As their lead edged out, Dibben, fearing this could be the race winning move, jumped clear with one other rider, who quickly found his pace too high and dropped away, leaving Dibben to bridge the gap to the leaders on his own. Working well the group managed to stay clear of the peloton with a lead of around 30 seconds, Dibben taking two intermediate primes along the way but as the race entered the final fifteen kilometres the peloton began to close.

Dibben jumped away and stayed clear for several kilometres before being pulled back, when Redding immediately counter attacked and was on his own as they entered the final lap. With counterattacks coming from the front of the peloton, as they caught the rest of the breakaway, Dibben was able to join one of them, and they closed in on Redding. As he was caught, the group were still out of reach of the peloton and as they approached the final kilometre, Dibben launched a searing attack, and he was able to race to his and the GWR Teams first ever victory in Belgium. After his exertions through much of the race, Redding was still able to take a superb 4th position just seconds behind Dibben but still clear of the peloton.

The following day in another Kermesse at Wingene-Wildenburg in Western Flanders the pair were among 42 riders on the start line for the 95 kilometre event over 17 laps of a tight and technical circuit, in windier but humid conditions. With riders jumping clear immediately, several groups of twos and threes forced their way ahead of the peloton and after several hectic laps a group of ten formed at the head of the race, containing the GWR duo of Dibben and Redding, along with Meadows (Team Corridori). This group would dominate the race and as the peloton slid further behind to eventually be withdrawn by race officials, the GWR pair were prominent in attempts to make the decisive break. However as they entered the final lap, one other rider jumped clear and hung on to take victory, while Dibben attacked with just over a kilometre to go to secure 2nd at the line, while a handful of seconds behind Redding crossed the line in 8th, in the remnants of the rest of the group, in what proved an excellent weekend for the two youngsters.

Elsewhere the rest of the GWR Team continued to show well with Jon Pain finishing an excellent 3rd in the AW Cycles Road Race on a tough circuit north or Reading. Racing over 120 kilometres Jon joined the race winning move as they crested the climb of Flint Hill for the first time and this group would go on to build a substantial lead over the rest of the race, with Pain eventually crossing the line a satisfied 3rd.

Peter Kench took his first victory of the year at the Oxford City 10 mile time trial on Saturday recording a time of 21 minutes 5 seconds to win by a mere four seconds, and the following day at the VC Bristol Castle Combe Criterium he took a credible 3rd position after puncturing at a crucial point in the race.

The third round of the National Junior Series, will be the focus for the GWR Team supported by Scott Wilson Railways, Giant UK, Swindon Cycles Superstore, M ETA Sports Performance & Training, Sport Beans, Continental Tyres, Wiltshire’s GWR FM, CyclePowerMeters.com, Easton and Bioracer, next weekend, with Sandy, Sam and Peter travelling to the Isle of Man to contest the three day Junior Tour. Meanwhile Jon contests the Chas Messenger Premier Calendar event in Buckinghamshire.

For more information on the GWR Team please visit www.gwrteam.com