Jon Dibben takes second place in the U23 Tour of Flanders
The Team Wiggins rider, competing in Team GB colours, grabbed the second step on the podium of the U23 Tour of Flanders
![](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/nh4vpXyyspkoSK8674f2e8-415-80.jpg)
Jon Dibben took Great Britain’s best ever result in the U23 Tour of Flanders with second place from a reduced sprint in Oudenaarde.
The 22 year-old points race world champion jumped across to a lead group of riders inside the closing kilometres of the 167km race but was beaten by Slovenia’s David Per to the line.
Gabriel Cullaigh finished in the chasing bunch in 19th while Tao Geoghegan Hart, who won the Trofeo Piva in Italy last weekend, finished in the same group to take 22nd.
“It was good race, I’m happy personally but the way the boys worked for me today, I should have won,” Dibben told Cycling Weekly.
“There was a group of five that went away over the last climb with a lap to go and they were still just away and Tao pretty much did the last lap on the front for me, and I sat behind him.
“We caught half of it on the last climb and some just stayed away. It was only about 50 metres to the group, I hit out with three kilometres to go, me and a French lad [Corentin Ermenault, third] got across with about 200m to go. I tried to get out of the saddle but he [Per] came round.”
Behind the scenes with Team Wiggins
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
The U23 Tour of Flanders is run over many of the same roads in the Flemish Ardennes as those in last weekend's elite races, however this year the event did not include any of the region's iconic cobbled climbs.
The race is an important augur for future talent, with recent winners including current professional riders Salvatore Puccio (2011, Sky), Rick Zabel (2013, BMC) and Dylan Groenewegen (2014, LottoNL-Jumbo).
The result continues a rich vein of form for Dibben, who won the time trial stage of the Triptyque des Monts et Chateaux and finished second overall on April 3 after winning his first world title on the track in early March.
The Wiggins trade team rider will line up in GB colours at next weekend’s ZLM Tour U23 race in the Netherlands before racing the Tour de Yorkshire and the Tour of California.
“I’m feeling really good, I think I’m going the best I’ve ever gone,” Dibben added.
“After the track worlds I didn’t have too much of a break, I kept pedalling away, thinking of this and Triptyque and the early season U23 races.”
Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Richard Abraham is an award-winning writer, based in New Zealand. He has reported from major sporting events including the Tour de France and Olympic Games, and is also a part-time travel guide who has delivered luxury cycle tours and events across Europe. In 2019 he was awarded Writer of the Year at the PPA Awards.
-
How to watch the Olympic cycling time trial at Paris 2024
Get all the information you need to watch the action of the men's and women's Olympic cycling time trial at Paris 2024
By Cat Glowinski Published
-
Ribble Cycles looking to capitalise on 'big summer of sport' with 30% off highly-rated models
Direct-to-consumer Ribble Cycles has always been rated highly among the Cycling Weekly tech team. This is our pick of the best Road, Gravel and E-bikes from their 'Summer Sale'
By Matt Ischt-Barnard Published
-
British Cycling says first two stages of Tour of Britain will be most 'challenging' in race's history
Riders set to face 5,000 metres of climbing across first two stages in the Scottish borders and northern England
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Former British champion Alice Wood to retire at end of 2024
28-year-old calls time on nine-year career as a pro
By Tom Davidson Published
-
WorldTour teams cite Brexit and race uncertainty as reasons for skipping Tour of Britain Women
Only four of 15 Women's WorldTour teams set to take start line in Welshpool next month
By Tom Davidson Published
-
'We've both cried during blocks': Inside the Olympic preparations of GB's track sprinting stars
Counting down the days to the sprint finals at the Olympics, Emma Finucane and Sophie Capewell tell Tom Davidson about their final push to find that decisive tenth of a second
By Tom Davidson Published
-
Welsh Grand Départ for first ever Tour of Britain Women, British Cycling confirms
Race will get underway in Welshpool before concluding in Greater Manchester four days later
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Exclusive: Men’s Tour of Britain stages cut to seek parity for women’s race
British Cycling aim to increase women’s Tour of Britain to six stages in 2025 in order to create full parity between the two events
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Elisa Longo Borghini pips Kasia Niewiadoma on the line to win second Tour of Flanders
In-form Italian praises Lidl-Trek team after repeating feat she achieved in 2015
By Tom Davidson Published
-
'It's one of the hardest races I've ever done' - Mathieu van der Poel on his historic Tour of Flanders victory
World champion becomes seventh man in history to win the race three times
By Tom Davidson Published