THE Court of Trustees has adjudged Rob Jebb, of Hope Factory Racing, to be granted the Charles Arthur Rhodes Memorial Award in recognition of winning the Three Peaks Cyclo-Cross an incredible 13 times over 23 years.

The Three Peaks is the toughest and biggest cyclo-cross in the UK (and arguably the world), with over 5000 feet of climbing in its 38 miles.  It is staged annually in September, starting and finishing at Helwith Bridge in the Yorkshire Dales, and attracts up to 400 entrants to scale the peaks of Ingleborough, Whernside and Pen-Y-Ghent.

 The race is a high point of the Yorkshire cyclo-cross calendar and demands outstanding stamina and skills to conquer the rough and mountainous terrain, some years in very poor weather.

Rob was born in Bingley in 1975 and under the influence of his father he took up fell running, where he progressed to international standard and won several national championships.  He also raced mountain bikes, then took up cyclo-cross, initially as a winter sport to supplement his running.  Already possessing the necessary athletic ability and stamina, he developed his off-road cycle climbing and descending skills to become a winning cyclist.

Every cyclo-cross rider with Yorkshire blood aspires to ride the 3 Peaks and Rob made his debut whilst still a junior in 1992.  In 1997 he finished a creditable 3rd before climbing to 2nd the following year; then in 2000 he achieved the top spot, going on to repeat his victory in 2002-2006, 2008, 2010, 2012-2014, 2019 and 2022.  His most recent win was at a remarkable 47 years of age, when he beat 343 other finishers and had a clear winning margin of 1 minute 48 seconds.

Rob rides a full season of cyclo-cross, from local events to the National Trophy Series, and has represented our country at the World Championships.  However, he is clearly a class apart in the 3 Peaks, a race which he has made his own.  His outstanding achievement in this one race has brought exceptional honour to himself and has raised the prestige of cyclo-cross racing in the county of Yorkshire and nationally.