12:10pm Saturday 16th May 2009
By Gazette Sports
THE Biketreks Fred Whitton Challenge is classed at Britain’s toughest sportive cycling event - “the Daddy of them all, according to Cycling Weekly.
A bigger than ever field of 1,200 riders set out from Coniston to tackle the infamous 112-mile course over the Lake District’s major passes on Sunday.
Fittingly, for the event’s tenth anniversary year, Rob Jebb (Wheelbase.co.uk) and James Dobbin (Artic Premier RT) crossed the finishing line together in a new record time.
The arduous route takes in the passes of Kirkstone, Honister, Newlands, Whinlatter, Cold Fell and finishing with Hardknott and Wrynose for good measure.
International rider Rob Jebb (Wheelbase.co.uk team) and James Dobbin (Artic Premier RT) rewned their battle of 12 months ago and it ended again in another record effort.
Recent Three Peaks fell race winner, Jebb looked strong in the saddle broke away from the elite bunch on Honister to set a searching pace through the early stages.
Dobbin, the 2008 UK National Hill Climb Champion, jumped Jebb’s wheel with still 66 miles to go, and the pair battlied it out at an average speed of 20mph despite the searching gradients.
Like last year, neither rider gave an inch and they crossed the line together in joint first place – an impressive 14 minutes clear of third fastest rider Ben Bardsley (Keswick Bikes).
Riders reported the weather covered the spectrum, with snow, hail and rain on the tops befor enough sun came out in blue skies top to cause sunburn!
Eventually, the leading pair Top 20 results: 1= Rob Jebb (wheelbase.co.uk) 5-46; 1= James Dobbin (Arctic Premier RT) 5-46; 3 Ben Bardsley (Keswick Bikes .co.uk) 6=-00; 4= Chris Hope (Keswick Bikes.co.uk) 6-05; 4= Phil Davies (Cyclewise) 6-05; 6 Andy Wrigley (Keswick Bikes.co.uk) 6-09; 7= Ian Palmer (Wheelbase.co.uk) 6-10; 7= Andrew Prince (Lyme RC); 9 Sean McColville (Honister) 6-11; 10 Grant Law (Honister 92) 6-12; 11= Matt Bridge (London Dynamo) 6-13; 11= Simon Booth (Keswick Bikes.co.uk) 6-13; 11= Martin Nicholson (Keswick Bikes .co.uk) 6-13; 14 Lloyd Kellett (Keighley) 6-14; 15= Paul Trott (Wheelbase.co.uk) 6-15; 15= Nick Harmer (Clifton York); 17= Dave Ralph (Lakes RC) 6-16; 17= Stephen Bottomley (Crosstrax) 6-16; 19 Richard Wilson (Koxx UK) 6-17; 20 John Fettis (Corley Cycles) 6-18.
The event is on course to raise more than £60,000 this year to be distributed between McMillan Nurses and the Dave Raynor Fund which helps promising young riders race in Europe.
The presentation night will be at the Prince of Wales, Foxfield, near Broughton-inb-Furness, on June 24.
There is a tenth anniversary dinner planned at the Castle Green hotel in Kendal on Saturday, October 10.
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