DIBBEN POWERS TO VICTORY FOR GWR TEAM AT MILBURYS

GWR Team Press & PR Office
11th May 2008

Peter Dibben continued the excellent run of form for the GWR Team/Scott Wilson/Giant squad in Saturdays Roy Ludford Memorial Tour of the Milburys Race in Hampshire.

Sixteen year old Dibben, from Southampton, was joined by GWR teammates Sam Redding, 17 from Waterlooville, and Llewellyn Kinch, 18 from Great Coxwell, for the two stage race, based on roads east of Winchester , where 55 riders faced an opening 6.5 kilometre hilly time trial, after an hour or so break, this was followed by a 110 kilometre road race, made all the more difficult by the hot and humid conditions.

The hilly time trial based on Tegleaze Down, saw Dibben finish with a time of 11 minutes 17 seconds to claim 5th, 20 seconds behind the victor, while Kinch recorded 11 minutes 37 seconds for 10th. Redding, who decided to ride despite illness, recorded a time of 11 minutes 50 seconds for 17th.

With temperatures rising, the road race began and the riders faced eight and a half laps of the undulating “Milburys Circuit”. To encourage riders who had lost time in the time trial to still contest the overall positions, the organisers introduced several intermediate sprints, as the riders crossed the finish line on each circuit, with bonuses of 3, 2 and 1 seconds, while at the finish, bonuses of 30, 20 and 10 were on offer. After a steady opening lap, as they approached the first of the intermediate sprints the speed increased, as riders tried to break clear. Into the third lap three riders broke clear, including the unwell Redding, and they were able to build a lead of around forty-five seconds, and also took some of the valuable bonuses, Redding taking four seconds. After being clear for 20 kilometres the trio were brought back, but immediately others in groups of twos and threes took their chance, but none gained more than a minute. Dibben joined one of the moves, taking valuable bonus seconds, however his bid for freedom was short lived, as at the tail end of the race many riders suffered punctures, causing the main bunch rapidly reduced in numbers.

Into the closing 20 kilometres one lone rider went clear, and built a lead of around one minute, but GWR duo of Dibben and Kinch confidently set the pace at the head of the peloton, while Redding finally succumbed to his illness and withdrew. Into the closing five kilometres, the lone leader was caught, and as the race approached 2 kilometres to go, Dibben launched an attack and he quickly gained a small advantage, while Kinch controlled the speed in the following bunch. Dibben continued “to drill it” to the finish, and he was able to stay clear and take a marvelous solo victory, 11 seconds clear of the main bunch, where Kinch took the sprint to ensure an excellent 1-2 for the team.

After all the calculations had been made, with the bonus seconds being applied, the final overall classification showed that Dibben had done enough to take overall victory, while Kinch took a fine 6th, missing out on 5th by just 1 second.

Earlier in the week Jon Pain took 2nd place in the latest round of the Castle Combe Summer Series, replicating his position of the previous weeks opening round, which was enough to give him an early lead in the series standings.

This coming week will see the GWR Team tackle the Hillingdon Grand Prix, the Worcester St Johns Road Race and the third round of the Castle Combe Summer Series.

Image courtesy of Graham Robins www.grahamrobins.net