USA Speed Week - Ribble Rebellion on a Roll

Ribble Rebellion continues to disrupt the crit scene, claiming four out of a possible eight race victories during US Speed week.

The USA CRITS Speed Week Series pits the world's top crit racing teams against each other in the Southeastern US. The series consists of eight crit races spread over eleven days, with the states of South Carolina and Georgia playing host to top crit racing talent. It all kicked off in Greenville, South Carolina, before heading across the border into Georgia where festivities concluded on Sunday, May 5th.

Thursday saw Matt Bostock and Jim Brown open up proceedings with solid top tens, with Matt coming home in fourth and Jim sixth. The technical L-shaped course provided plenty of thrills (and thankfully few spills) to entertain the fans who turned out to watch this twilight spectacle of epic bike racing. Each of whom were treated to the sight of riders cornering 90° bends at breakneck speeds of 30mph+ on a tight and twisty L-shaped circuit. As is ever the way with such city centre crits, the action was fast and frenetic from the gun, with a break going clear early in proceedings.

Such was the pace at the front of the race, this breakaway group was eventually to catch the main bunch, placing them one lap up. This set up a grandstand finish that's somewhat unique to US crit racing. Contrary to European racing, lapped riders in US crits are able to provide assistance to any teammate who is a lap up on the field. And so it was to prove here. The breakway riders who were a lap ahead took advanatge of leadouts from their teammates to springboard their final push for victory. This definitely proved most advantageous to the US teams who duly took the win. However, it did provide Ribble Rebellion with a blueprint for how to succeed in US crit racing.

Ribble Rebellion arrived with a plan and executed it perfectly. In so doing, they secured their second victory on US soil. Somewhat reminiscent of the opening race, it looked like riders from the initial break would contest the victory in a fast and furious bunch sprint. However, a surprise attack at the start of the last lap proved to be the race-defining move. Ever alert to this possibility, Jim Brown jumped onto the back wheel of a solo attack and rode the coat tails of the attacker until the finish line hove into sight. Where Jim once again demonstrated that devastating finishing kick to cross the line first, with hand held aloft in celebration. Teammate Al Murison clinched third to cap another perfect night's racing. Team Captain Joe Laverick gives his take on how the team tactics played out.

"Mission accomplished. The plan was to stay committed to riding the front and making sure riders did lap the field… Still getting used to those US lap rules – lapped riders can help in lead-outs for those ahead, so the plan was make sure we always kept the boys out front.” Two in the break, the team rode the front for two thirds of the race, making sure the break didn’t get caught, and more importantly they couldn’t lap the field, keeping the bunch well under control, leaving Jim and Al to do the business up front. Tactically beautiful. Executed to perfection".

In a virtual repeat of race one, Ribble Rebellion produced another impressive display of city centre crit racing to place two riders inside the top six in Athens, Georgia. Matt Bostock once again finished just off the podium in fourth, after contesting a four man sprint to decide the overall podium positions. Cole Davis crossed the line a further 19 seconds in arrears to claim a highly creditable, if slightly lonely, sixth place finish.

Another dominant display from Ribble Rebellion saw Cole Davis secure his second victory of the season in the suburbs of North Atlanta. The Californian once again showed his class and a clean pair of heels to cross the line a full nine seconds ahead of a group being superbly marshalled by teammate Jim Brown. Jim's efforts earned him sixth on the day while Matt Bostock crossed the line 10th. At the halfway point, Ribble Rebellion had achieved two race victories out of a possible four and six top-tens.

Cole Davis weathered a storm during the final lap of the Union City Crit to finish fifth. A Reign Storm to be precise. In what was to prove a refreshing rarity during Speed Week, the majority of the field all entered the final lap still in contention for the race victory. But it was the Reign Storm team who proved strongest on the day. Cole found himself isolated in the final few corners of the race, at the tail of the Storm leadout train. Faced with such overwhelming odds, Cole could only manage to finish best of the rest in fifth.

Above Image: Jim and Cole celebrate finishing 1-2 in the College Park Crit, signing off from US Speed week with two wins apiece.

Al Murison secured his second podium of the week in Hapeville, Georgia. It was just reward for a gutsy ride that saw Al go solo to bridge across to a four-man group with less than 10 minutes of racing on the clock. The quintet then set off in hot pursuit of a lone breakaway rider who had escaped a few seconds up the road. Once this lone rider had been despatched, the five steadily increased their advantage over the peloton. Such was their gap entering the final phase of the race, it soon became clear that the winner would emerge from this group. And despite engaging in some last lap cat and mouse tactics, the five held firm to keep a now rampaging peloton at bay to contest the sprint. Al's superb efforts saw him clinch third and the final podium place.

Cole Davis made a it a trio of victories for Ribble Rebellion during Speed Week, albeit with a little help from a friend. In fact, it was Cole that was the early instigator, escaping the clutches of the bunch to build a slender lead. However, with a former US National Junior Time Trial Champion driving at the head of the bunch, his lead was to prove short-lived. Freshly joined by two riders, Cole and his fellow escapees eventually went on to lap the field. Upon making the catch, the intrepid trio then sat in to take a well-deserved breather before assessing when to to make their next move. This came with three laps remaining, when Cole and Matt Bostock attacked. With the latter being a lap down, Matt emptied the tanks to take Cole clear of his closest rivals, eventually crossing the line well clear of the field. Matt's tireless efforts were also sufficient for him to finish fifth, rubber stamping another fantastic performance from Ribble Rebellion and win number three during US Speed Week.

Ribble Rebellion signed off from US Speed Week in some style, clinching the top two podium positions in the College Park crit. Heading into the final lap it was all to play for, yet Cole Davis still managed to spring a surprise when he dashed clear of the leading group as they entered the final corner. It looked for all the world like he had the win in the bag. Until the final few pedal strokes that is, when Jim Brown rocketed out of his sliptstream to secure a stunning one-two for Ribble Rebellion.

Above Image: Jim sprints to victory in Spartanburg.