AMPLEFORTH Abbey was the backdrop to the conclusion of an intense 150-kilometre Ryedale Grand Prix cycle race which saw Ian Bibby of NFTO snatch a last-gasp win.

With a group of 10 riders in contention on the final lap of a thrilling contest, Bibby just caught Tom Moses of JLT Condor after his rival had attacked with the end in sight.

It was a fitting finale to what was a pulsating race with attacks coming thick and fast throughout.

It also provided the Lancastrian with his second victory of the British Cycling 2015 Elite Road Series, beating off a field of riders which included world and European champions.

Bibby said: "The Ryedale is always a really hard one. I started the season well and won a couple but then died off a bit. I really got my head down the last few weeks and it paid off.”

With 119 riders lining up at the start at Ampleforth Abbey, the rain that blighted the women’s race in the morning had eased off and there was action from the gun.

Steele Von Hoff (NFTO), Marcin Bialoblocki (One Pro Cycling), Matt Cronshaw (Madison Genesis), Sam Lowe (Raleigh GAC), Steven Lawley (Neon-Velo) and Christopher Lawless (Team Wiggins) formed an early leading group, building a lead of 46 seconds and reaching speeds of 50 miles per hour on the descents.

The leaders had 38 seconds at the end of the first lap of the larger circuit which the riders made their way around before finishing on five laps of a smaller circuit.

Cronshaw’s chances took a blow when he crashed out on a climb but he climbed back on and rejoined the race.

The gap rose to 50 seconds at one point but, at the 50-mile mark, the break was caught and, from this point on, the race saw attack after attack being launched up to the end.

With two laps to go, 20 riders were vying for victory in a lead group and they took no prisoners, continually having a dig.

With one lap to go, the deciding break occurred with Bibby, Karol Domagalski (Raleigh GAC), Tom Moses (JLT Condor), Dan Fleeman (SportGRUB Kuota), Erick Rowsell (Madison Genesis), Stephen Williams (Pedal Heaven), Dale Appleby (NFTO), Eddie Dunbar (NFTO), Steve Lampier (Raleigh GAC) - the overall standings leader - and Bialoblocki forming a break of 10.

They had a lead of 39 seconds over six chasers, setting up a nail-biting finish.

Appleby, Bialoblocki and Dunbar eventually dropped off although Bialoblocki found the strength to come back.

Meanwhile, Bibby made an attack but was reeled back in before Williams countered.

Moses pulled away with three kilometres remaining but Bibby managed to catch him on the line to win.

Bibby said: “Every year it (the race in Ryedale) goes really early. It was a bit different this year because a break went but without any climbers in so it was more controlled for the first hour.

“When we went on to the small circuit, I said to Eddie (Dunbar, team-mate), 'Because we’re both climbers, we need to make this really hard or it’s going to end up in a sprint with too many lads'.

“So from then on, for five laps on the small circuit, every time we saw a hill we just went flat out. It kept splitting and coming back. People like Marcin kept getting back on and we didn’t want that because he’s fast in the finish.

"So on the last lap, we went really hard but he got back on with two kilometres to go. Then the crosswinds hit and everyone was in ones and twos at the end. Everyone was in the gutter, we were just flat out. It was every man for himself at the end."

Result (top five): 1 Ian Bibby NFTO (03:50:49), 2 Thomas Moses JLT Condor 4, 3 Peter Williams One Pro Cycling 7, 4 Steve Lampier Raleigh GAC 10, 5 Erick Rowsell Madison Genesis same time.

* THE Giordana Triton team dominated the Women’s Ryedale Grand Prix, with GP series winner Nikki Juniper coming first and team-mate Abby-Mae Parkinson second - the pair having sped off in a two-rider breakaway. This race was also for the national junior road race championship - Parkinson taking that crown.

* NATHAN Draper (RST Racing Team) sprinted to victory in the National Junior Road Race Championships, which also took place as part of the Ryedale GP Weekend.

The Isle of Man rider – who won the latest round of the National Junior Series in Devon the week before - edged to victory a second ahead of Robert Scott (VCUK PH MAS), while Alfie Moses (HMT Academy) completed the podium in third.