Interview – Bibby’s Best Ryedale Yet

2015_CONTI_Banner_TourSeries

After second in 2013, Ian Bibby (NFTO) stepped up a notch to win the 2015 edition of a race becoming a classic in the British calendar, the Ryedale Grand Prix

RST Cycle Clothing & Trigon Bikes

Interview – Bibby’s Best Ryedale Yet

Winner of the first race in the national series for the Star Trophy, the Chorley GP, Ian Bibby won his second this year at Ryedale to go one better than 2013 when he was runner up to Joe Perrett.

Bibby_Report_06

Ian following wheels in between attacking up the climbs

Ian’s first reaction post race was “I went really deep there to win that!” His win was no surprise though as a team insider had already mentioned his name as the likely winner from a very strong NFTO squad that included former winner Rob Partridge (2010) and Irish star Eddie Dunbar.

That’s the great thing about British racing right now; there are so many possible winners and when you walk, or as I did, scooted around on the moped, the various teams before the start, there are so many that have winner written all over them. Not just that, other names will pop-up as well that have not featured in races at this level showing there is a growing depth to the sport.

It isn’t until the riders start going one-on-one on dead roads going uphill with the wind howling that you really do find out who is the best and Bibby showed he was just that on the day at Ryedale. Not just the rider with the best legs but the one with the ability to go to the point of collapse which is just what he did when he crossed the line.

Before it even with no energy for getting the arms in the air!

The winning sequence for Ian winning the Ryedale GP

Bibby_Report_01

Bibby_Report_03

Bibby_Report_02

Bibby_Report_04

Standing on the photographers line not being able to see anything except an empty piece of road ahead of us with a white line drawn across it, all we knew was what was coming over the PA. A lone rider was leading, and it was a JLT Condor one so it must be Tom Moses.

Then, I could see the hands start to clap the riders do lower down the finish straight and into sight came Bibby, half a dozen lengths clear, looking behind, a one handed punching the air celebration before collapsing over the handlebars as he crossed the line.

He then went one better and collapsed on the soft grass, can of coke in his hand and a mass of people congratulating him. Winners are grinners but poor Ian didn’t have the energy for that even! He had certainly gone deep to pull that victory from the jaws of defeat.

He went on to explained “Tom (Moses) was going well and seems to be back to his best as he was early last year. I could tell all day he was going well and there were a lot of good riders in there.”

2015_July_Vision_tdf_SM

Early in the race a small group escaped with Bibby’s teammate Steele Von Hoff and missing that move was JLT Condor so it was they who put numbers on the front to chase the break giving riders like Ian and many more, an easier ride.

“It was different to normal in that it was more controlled for the first hour and I thought this is not really good for us. Eddie (Dunbar) and I being good climbers, need it to be hard all day so we could do some damage at the end.”

“So when we got onto the small circuit, I said to Eddie ‘I am going to hit it up here so be ready and we’ll make it hard’. From then on it was pretty flat out. There were groups chipping off before the hill so on the climb, we’d catch them and it would be a bigger group. We wanted to get rid of as many as we could to make it more simpler at the finish.”

“In the finale, I was on my own and there were riders jumping away and I knew I’d have a good go at the finish because it’s a good one for me so I was spending a lot of energy bringing back moves myself. With 700 to go, Moses was on his own with at least ten seconds and no-one chasing.”

“I thought, I’m not here to get second so I went as hard as I could in the gutter and never looked behind. With about 300 to go, I’d gapped everyone else and I had Moses in my sights and was chasing him and chasing him. Luckily I got him but I had to go pretty deep!”

Bibby_Report_05

Above: Steele Von Hoff of NFTO in the early break which meant the rest of the team could follow the wheels

The win highlights how Ian is having his best year for a long time. “I really had a lot of motivation at the start of the year with the Chorley GP being close to home and I had a good race there (he won that Premier) and Tour of Yorkshire went alright.”

“I then won a stage in the RAS as well. Then I got a bit ill and died off a bit at the nationals and stuff so the last few weeks, I have tried to get going again and bag another win which I’ve done.”
“Normally I’d have a week off and when I do that, I can take me a while to get going again for Ryedale and Wales (Abergavenny) where I’ve always been under par a bit. So I didn’t want to do that this year so I have only had a couple of days and it’s showed.”

“The team is looking at RideLondon and Tour of Britain now as its goals.”

Bibby_Report_07

Post race, the team go out for another hour!

Bibby_Report_09

Two favourites for the race, Eddie Dunbar and Ian Bibby hug in celebration of a team victory

Bibby_Report_10

The team well after everyone has left the start finish pose for a picture before getting some food

Send your results as well as club, team & event news here

Other Results on VeloUK (including reports containing results)

Other News on VeloUK

Tags: ,