Cycling: Gibb’s sprint finish earns place in Aintree records

Mar 3 2008 by Our Correspondent, Liverpool Daily Post

TONY GIBB, of the Plowman Craven RT team, has equalled the record set by Kirkby CC’s Doug Dailey in winning the Eddie Soens Memorial Cycle Race four times.

After completing the 30 laps (49 miles) of the famous Club Circuit at Aintree Racecourse in 1 hour 51 minutes 47 seconds, Londoner Gibb said: “I’m delighted to have won it for the fourth time.

“Dailey is an absolute legend around here and it’s been one of my targets for a while to do this. The conditions were tough but everyone rode out of their skins today. My team-mate Evan Oliphant gave me a perfect lead out, which is what we planned to do.

“Our team overpowered the opposition. We had a great training camp last week in France and everyone came back really happy, which contributes to moral tenfold.”

After receiving the Skelly Trophy from representatives of main sponsors Silverbeck Rymer Solicitors, he added: “It’s always a privilege to ride here in Liverpool. Kirkby Cycling Club always do a great job of organising this event.”

When the leading bunch came out of Club Corner for the final time, the wind was on their backs on the finishing straight. Gibb just snatched victory from Dean Downing, of the main rival team Rapha-Condor Recycling.co.uk, with Jon Mozley of the Pearl Izumi-Planet X outfit third.

After six laps had gone there was a break when juniors Oliver Suart and Lewis Balyckyi of Ribble Valley Juniors CRC, accompanied by Daniel Quinn (FP Mailing CT), made a brave effort to escape the main field but they were soon reeled in.

Mark McNally (Team 100% ME) from Crosby, now riding with the Elites, was eighth, adding to his list of top 10 places after being seventh last year. Before the start of the race he was presented with the Merseyside Golden Cycle Award for his achievements in the 2007 season.

Former Southport CC rider, Tom Diggle, now with Rapha-Condor Recycling.co.uk, was ninth. Rhys Lloyd of the same outfit won the EventPlus points competition.

Lizzie Armitstead (Team Halfords Bikehut) was the ladies winner with team-mate Catherine Hare next out of the largest entry of female riders for many years.

Steve Jolley (Omnipex Bioracer RT) won both the Masters C+ and the third category sections while Giles Pidcock (UK Cycle Shops.com) was best in the second category again this year and finished fifth overall.

Second-placed ride Downing kept on attacking throughout the race, but in the final sprint he was unable to match Gibb’s power.

He said: “It was a hard race, no-one could control it. At the end, I just didn’t have the legs.”

Third-placed Mozley said: “We’re a young team and worked well together. We tried to get into a few moves but it just didn’t work out. Coming into the sprint, it was very scary going down the back straight.

“Into the last corner Tony Gibb had already gone, so despite gaining on him a bit, we couldn’t catch him.”

Women’s winner Armitstead said: “It’s been a great race to help me for the World Track Championships at the end of the month.”

After the World Championships she is off to Belgium with her new team – Team Halfords Bikehut – to ride in the Tour of Flanders.

Aughton’s James Stewart (KFS Special Vehicles) went away with a group of eight on lap 20. They gained a 30-second lead but were caught by the main field after two laps.