Tipper takes the Win at 2016 TMG Trophy

Patience paid off for Jacob Tipper on Sunday as he held his nerve against a powerful breakaway group and saved himself for an irresistible uphill finish against local strongmen.

Organiser Neil Wass has always championed longer races on the Cublington Circuit in Buckinghamshire: “Even when we did Regional A races here, we were 50% over the minimum distance,” he explains. “I‘ve always enjoyed seeing the cream rise to the top!”

the early break included TMG's Richard Wood - pic - Simon Gill

There was no fear of the distance however as a break formed only 10km into the race including TMG’s own Richard Wood, an acknowledged early move specialist, with some serious muscle in the form of Ollie Barbieri of Spirit Bikes and Chris Dredge of NHT Cycling Team plus 2 riders from Wellingborough cycles. First passage of the finish and the break looked like a typical early move with only 20 seconds on the bunch.

Hot Pursuit: Coleman & co. pic - Simon Gill

One lap later, Chris Dredge powered to the fore to take The Unicorn Prime and the gap was up to one minute ten, but the group had also swelled to 9 with the

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addition of James Rix of Loughborough CC and Pierre Vernie of Godfrey Bikewear amongst others. Richard Wood of TMG recalls: “We were working hard but it felt sustainable and we knew we had a pretty good quality group.”

With 5 laps to go, the pace continued at its consistently high level, but Chris Dredge was allowing no-one any respite and was still pulling away from the other escapees as they crested the hill.

The lead group was starting to look more useful and, sensing a threat, it wasn’t long before a trio launched a bridging move. Douglas Coleman (CC Luton), Mark Baines (Spirit Bikes) and Tom Neale teamed up in pursuit of the head of the race, but again, with 4 to go, Dredge opened a gap of 7 seconds on his allies to take the Bike Loft Prime. 40 seconds later, the chase group crossed the line, clearly believing the early move was going to stick, fully committed and going deep. The bunch was a further 1:18 back and the break looked well established, with three reinforcements on their way. Says Coleman “There was nothing more we could give. We were going flat out – it had to succeed.”

Lap five, and as the chase group crossed and hitched up with the leaders, the bunch seemed to wake to the threat. With three laps to go, Coleman took charge at the front in the break whilst in-form Lawrence Carpenter of Nuun Sigma Sport led the bunch up Cublington Hill, the gap down to a minute. It was pretty finely balanced, and by now the full field had been reduced to around 50 riders as the pace took its toll, but the gap closed further and as Dredge took the Greyhound Enoteca Prime with 2 laps to go, the gap was down to 31 seconds, the bunch clearly smelling blood.

As the race took the bell for the final lap, it was all change at the front with a new attack on the move. Roy Chamberlain of Corley Cycles was forcing the pace, driving a new escape followed by Josh Jones, Barnabas Purbrook of London Dynamo, Mike Wragg of CC Luton and gutsy junior James O’ Connell of Regents Park Rouleurs.

The bunch was far too attentive to let this go though and the high pace continued, with the final lap only 24 seconds longer than the second. As the race approached the finish hill, it was all together and even after 162km the 12% finish hill didn’t create many gaps. Jacob Tipper of Pedal Heaven showed his form though as he solo's to the win. Although only 1 second, his gap over 2^nd place Jake Hales of Spirit Bikes was bigger than any of those behind him. Managing to raise his arms as he approached the line, he was clearly delighted. "If i could choose a second rider to me, it would be Jake," he winked. "I coach him so it's as good as it gets!"

time to get the arms in the air: clear win on Cublington Hill for Jacob Tipper pic - Simon Gill

Tipper’s win comes hot on the heels of his win at the CC Luton Neil Gardner Memorial the week before.

Was he not concerned about the break? “Although they got a good gap at one stage I wasn’t too worried as it was a long race, and I felt there were too many people in the break to work effectively. There were riders working on the front of the bunch to bring the break back.”

Chris Dredge, Jacob Tipper, Jake Hales pic - Simon Gill

1. Jacob Tipper Pedal Heaven Racing Team 3h49m56s

2. Jake Hales Spirit Bikes Race Team

3. Chris Dredge Nieuwe Hoop Tielen

4. Ken Buckley Eden Veranda Racing Team

5. Josh Burns Private Member

6. Andrew Williams Cwmcarn Paragon

7. Tom Neale Private Member

8. James Ireson KTM Impsport Racing Team

9.James Rix Loughborough CC

10. Martin Ford Planet X Northside

11. Stanley Kennett PMR Toachim House RT

12.Henry Farrell Hoste TAAP Storck

13. Matthew Webster Wellingborough Cycles RT

14.Josh Jones Private Member

15. Peter Cocker Giant Rutland Wattbike

16. Charlie Passfield CC Ashwell

17 James Local Hoste TAAP Storck

18.Ray Wilson London Dynamo

19. Cameron Jeffers Team Corley Cycles

20. Lawrence Carpenter Nuun Sigma Sport RT

21. Tom Bowering PMR Toachim House RT

22. Freddie Philips Hoste TAAP Storck

23. Ashley Cox CC Luton

24. Tom Fitzpatrick Spirit Bikes Race Team

25. Barnabas Purbrook London Dynamo

26. Will Corden Mammoth Lifestyle Racing

27. Andy Critchlow Wyndymilla RT

28. James O’ Connell Regents Park Rouleurs

29. Alex Hunt Pedalworks Performance

30. Martin Smith Dream Cycling RT

31. Andy Bonsall Wyndymilla RT

32. Oliver Barbieri Spirit Bikes Race Team

33. Will Scott Team Corley Cycles

34. David Bates Altura Wheelbase RT

35. Richard Wood TMG Horizon Cycling Team

36. Graham Knight Equipe Velo

37. Robin Basford Wyndymilla RT

38. James Moss MTS Cyclesport Scott RT

39. Doug Coleman CC Luton

40. Jack Waller Spirit Bikes Race Team

41. George Gori Nuun Sigma Sport RT

42. Riko Sibbe London Dynamo

in-form - Jacob Tipper

all pictures (c) Simon Gill Photography @simongillphoto

Unicorn Cublington Prime  - Chris Dredge, Nieuwe Hoop Tielen

The Bike Loft Prime – Chris Dredge, Nieuwe Hoop Tielen

Greyhound Enoteca Prime – Chris Dredge, Nieuwe Hoop Tielen

thanks to our Race sponsors and supporters

theunicornpub.co.uk

thebikeloft.co.uk

greyhoundenoteca.com

finish line lap times & splits

1	00:25:46
2	00:53:53	00:28:07
3	01:23:19	00:29:26
4	01:52:15	00:28:56
5	02:22:26	00:30:11
6	02:52:23	00:29:57
7	03:21:28	00:29:05
8	03:49:56	00:28:28