Record-breaking Three Peaks victory (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Record-breaking Three Peaks victory

11:03am Friday 3rd October 2008 in Sport By Gazette Sports

STAVELEY’S Rob Jebb, who rides for WHEELBASE.co.uk, achieved a record-breaking seventh consecutive Three Peaks Cyclo-Cross victory.

Jebb set a new course record of a staggering 2hr 55min 22sec and exceeded Peugoet Cycles rider Tim Gould’s previous record of six wins.

The 56km course takes in the summits of Ingleborough, Wernside and Pen-y-Gent in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales and is renowned as the “world’s toughest cyclo-cross race”.

Jebb told the Gazette: “Everything went well and when I saw how fast the time was it gave me the incentive to push on for the record.

“It’s a unique event and one of my favourite races and to beat Tim Gould’s six wins means a lot to me.

“We also won the team race to make it a perfect day - and I hope to be still doing it when I’m an old man!”

Near-perfect weather prevailed for a record attempt with little rainfall on the week running up to the event, glorious blue skies, an average temperature of 14 degree centigrade and virtually no wind for the 500-strong field.

Jebb went into the event having just sealed the English fell-running championship and with an established pedigree as a national and international Cyclo-Cross star, boosted by a new sponsorship deal from USA bicycle manufacturer Cannondale.

He quickly built up a three-minute lead going over Ingleborough and extended it over Whernside and enjoyed a puncture-free circuit over the critical final phase coming off Pen-y-Gent.

It enabled him to cross the finish line in Helwith Bridge in 2-52-22, eight minutes clear of Nick Craig (Scott UK) in second place and 16 minutes clear of third-placed Andy Peace (Science in Sport).

His team, the Staveley-based cycle superstore WHEELBASE.co.uk has a very strong contingent of national and international Cyclo-Cross riders and are 2008 National Cyclo-Cross Champions.

Their team dominated the Three Peaks, taking first place in the team prize with Lewis Craven finishing fourth in 3-11-45, Burneside lad Stuart Reid coming home in seventh 3-14-43, and Dave Haygarth in 13th and new team member Damian Smith 15th in 3-24-00.

Results: 1 Rob Jebb (Wheelbase/Gore Bike Wear) 2-52-22; 2 Nick Craig (Scott UK) 3-00-38; 3 Andy Peace (Science in Sport MV40) 3-08-59; 4 Lewis Craven (Wheelbase/Gore Bike Wear) 3-11-45; 5 Stephen Bottomley (Crosstrax) 3-11-47; 6 Noel Clough (Feitsen Tempo) 3-14-42; 7 Stuart Reid (Wheelbase/Gore Bike Wear) 3-14-43; 8 Geoffrey Beetham (Retrobike.co.uk) 3-15-54; 9 Neil Crampton (Crosstrax) 3-16-11; 10 Stuart Bowers (Scott UK) 3-20-25.