First Year Junior 3rd in Senior Pursuit – Jon Dibben

Talking to a young rider, Jon Dibben, who is one of many to find their cycling future through the Hargroves Cycles development team.

After finishing 8th in the World Junior Men’s Time Trial the weekend before, Jon Dibben (Hargroves Cycles) did not expect to be standing on the podium for the Senior Men’s Pursuit. But there he was, third with a qualifying time of 4.31 and ahead of many Under 23 GB Academy riders.

World cup winner Sam Harrison, Olympic Bronze medallist Steven Burke and first year junior, Jon Dibben.

How significant that is for Jon is hard to judge but factor in it was his first ride on the track since the road worlds and the journey back from Denmark, it was a significant achievement. “I’m really chuffed with the medal” he says.

“I did not expect it at all. I raced the Worlds Road Race (Junior Men) on Saturday and then watched the Elite Men’s event on Sunday so there was a lot of walking and being on my feet. I then travelled back Sunday night and then Monday drove up to Doulls (Owain) and then yesterday drove up here. So the first time I got on my track bike was for a warm up today after three days off.”

“I thought the legs were going to be stiff and I’d have no track legs at all but I got on the bike and the legs felt good.”

In the past, Jon has had success at the Youth Olympics and is already winning local circuit races down South.  Jon was also fourth in the Junior version of Paris-Roubaix , won Gold and Silver at the Track Euros and so right now, looks to be a very bright star for the future.

Winning road races is where its at for Jon!

There is though a big step between Junior and Senior events and so for a first year Junior, his time in the Senior Pursuit which is another 1,000 metres longer than the junior one, was very good indeed.

“I was speaking to Matt Winston (GB ODP coach) before and the time I did here at the Junior Nationals was a 3.23. I felt if I could do a final 1.10 kilo which is cracking a bit, that would be a 4.33, so that was a figure I would have been really happy with so to do a 4.31, I am really happy with the time as well.”

Having shown he can ride as fast, faster even, than the GB Academy riders, Jon is keen to get a place on the Academy in 2013 but before that, he has another year as a junior. This year, he had several wins in the Junior National Road Race Series and admits the road is quite special even though his big wins this year have come on the track.

One thing he won’t be doing during the winter is any cyclo-cross after breaking his leg last year and  says “I prefer road and doing events like Paris-Roubaix was definitely good.”

Being part of the GB team at the road worlds was also significant. This year was the first time the Junior Worlds has been part of the Senior Worlds for many many years and it certainly made an impression on the GB juniors who were selected to go to Copenhagen.

Jon was part of the winning team at the Junior Tour of Wales. L-R, Owain Doull, Jon, Sam Lowe and Ali Slater.

“To go to the Senior Worlds and be part of the whole squad was great. Doull (Owain) and I rode the time trial so we were the first people there and so there was David Millar and Bradley Wiggins and  we got to chat to them a little bit and as more people turned up, G (Geraint Thomas) and Cav and we were also in the hotel with the Aussies, so you’re walking round with all these road stars and it was a real good thing to be part of. We all felt like professionals!”

“Us juniors were talking about it and saying where they are is our aim so be amongst it all was very motivating.”

Jon has a busy week at the Track nationals but once  it has finished, that’s his season over with and it will be a time for a break.