HAMPSHIRE cycling star Jon Dibben could replace Mark Cavendish at this summer’s Rio Olympics after his stunning gold medal at the UCI Track World Championships.

The 22-year-old from Totton claimed GB's second gold of the championships by winning the 40km points race at London's Olympic Velodrome.

Dibben won four of the 16 sprints, including the last two, to finish level on 48 points with Andreas Graff - before pipping the Austrian to the finish line in a thrilling climax.

The Southampton-born former Hounsdown School and Brockenhurst College pupil admitted winning in London made his achievement even more special.

Especially after the disappointment of having to settle for Team Pursuit silver  alongside Sir Bradley Wiggins, Owain Doull and Ed Clancy 24 hours earlier.

He said: "To win a world title in your home country - it doesn't get much better. It's unbelievable.

“I came here for the Team Pursuit and our heads were down after finishing one place lower.

“I’m lost for words. I gave it my all. I had a cool down after the TP and tried to focus all day. 

“After 100 laps I was on my limit, I had nothing. But in the last 20 everyone else died off and I knew what I had to do in that last sprint, just full gas.

"I saved it for the last five laps and went 100 per cent to the line.  [The crowd's support] was massive, every time I attacked I got a cheer and that gives you a boost.

"The crowd got behind me from the gun."

 

 

The points race consisted of 160 laps, with points awarded to the top four finishers in sprints held every ten laps. 

Dibben won 28 sprint points and was one of five riders to gain 20 for lapping the main field. Belgium’s Kenny De Ketele finished five behind Dibben and Graff in third.

Daily Echo:

Jon Dibben flanked on the podium by runner-up Andreas Graff (Austria) and third-placed Kenny De Ketele (Belgium)

Dibben could now pip Cavendish to the one omnium spot available in Rio, after the 'Manxman' had to settle for sixth place in the six-race event on Saturday night.

The points race was axed as an Olympic sport after Beijing 2008, but is now a key discipline in the omnium.

“It certainly doesn’t do [my chances] any harm; the points is the main event‚” said Dibben, who is now based in Manchester.

“We’ll see how Cav goes, I’ll keep progressing like I am.” Asked if he would take the omnium place if offered, he replied: “Massively, of course. Team pursuit is the main goal, to get into there for Rio. And then if the omnium is there, you’ve got a day off, and then two days.”

Dibben, whose girlfriend Abbie-Mae Parkinson is also a GB cyclist, is a former member of New Forest Cycling Club , and was introduced to the sport via cyclocross. 

He soon began racing for the Southampton-based Hargroves team at Mountbatten Cycle Track in Portsmouth.

Dibben has also won two Elite European Championship titles, a World silver medal and several National Championship Titles.

But the highlight of the Team Wiggins star’s career thus far came at the Olympic Velodrome on Friday night. 

 

His achievement was widely praised by many in the cycling world with the likes of Sir Bradley Wiggins, Sir Chris Hoy and Hamble's Dani King tweeting their congratulations.