HOME favourite Ian Bibby heads the charge at this weekend’s Chorley Grand Prix.

The JLT Condor rider, winner on home turf in 2015, will be out to repeat the trick in the third Spring Cup race of the calendar.

Bibby, from Mellor, is joined by last year’s Chorley winner Edmund Bradbury in a strong JLT Condor squad while Trawden’s Ryan Perry lines up for Raleigh GAC.

And the race’s technical director Carl Lawrenson is expecting an open contest in the third running of the event.

He said: “It is very difficult to predict a winner. Those who have raced it before will have the advantage but all eight of the leading teams have good riders and it is tough to single someone out.

“It is only the third running of the race but it is already an important one on the British calendar and the refreshing thing is that the riders talk about it being one of their favourite races of the year.

“The course is a taxing one and after five laps you certainly know you have been in a bike race.

“The crowds are generally very good and it makes for a good race day.”

The race sees riders tackle five laps of a course that features a brutal climb and technical descents.

Contested over 187km, the peloton will set off from Chorley at 11am heading towards Rivington Pike before descending into Belmont and passing the Belmont Reservoir.

The route then heads north towards Abbey Village, passing through Wheelton and Euxton before finishing in Chorley town centre.

Raleigh GAC’s Enrique Sanz currently leads the individual Spring Cup standings 10 points ahead of round two winner Brenton James (JLT Condor), round one victor Chris Latham (Team Wiggins) and One Pro Cycling’s Hayden McCormick but with 30 points available for a success it could all change this weekend.

One Pro Cycling currently have the advantage in the team standings with JLT Condor and Bike Channel Canyon within striking distance.

As well as home favourite Bibby other riders to keep an eye on include George Harper (One Pro Cycling), Liam Holohan (Metaltek Kuota) and Dan Bigham (Borther NRG Driveplan).

The Chorley Grand Prix is the penultimate race of the Spring Cup with the final round on May 14 at the Lincoln Grand Prix.

For information on watching the race and car parking visit chorley.gov.uk

n Round two of the series took place last weekend with the Tour of the Worlds which was won by Brenton Jones in a sprint finish from a reduced peloton.

Bibby finished in 14th place.

The race also included the opening women’s road series event of the season which was won by SunSport Velo’s Elizabeth Banks from a five rider breakaway.

Padiham’s Rebecca Rimmington, riding for Team WNT, finished outside the time limit as did Barnoldswick’s Amy Gornall (Secret Training) as just 25 riders finished.