It's a mark of Eddie Dunbar's promise that he won massive public support today and blasted over the climbs at the front of such a massive race, above (Photo: Larry Hickmott VeloUK.net)
By Brian Canty
Eddie Dunbar’s crash and subsequent abandonment from the Tour de Yorkshire this afternoon has cost him the chance to wear one of two of the jerseys on offer following today’s 174 kilometre opening stage from Bridlington to Scarborough.
The talented 18-year-old came down heavily after being reeled in by the bunch on the opening leg of the UCI 2.1-ranked event and was unable to continue.
The NFTO rider is currently in hospital awaiting a diagnosis for his injuries, though his team said via social media it suspected he had a broken collar bone.
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If that proves to be the case it will be devastating news for the UK-based team and Dunbar himself who has been flying in his first months as a professional.
Dunbar, third in line, up the road before the escape was caught and he fell on wet roads coming off a climb.
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It will come as a real kick in the teeth to the young Corkman that instead of being on the podium to accept the jersey as the race’s most aggressive rider – as voted by the fans and followers of the race – he was in hospital receiving treatment for his injuries.
Dunbar, the youngest rider in the race, received a staggering 52 per cent of the vote.
The most aggressive rider jersey subsequently passed to Europcar's Perrig Quemeneur - who received 32 per cent of the vote.
And Dunbar's strong ride in the early escape when he was first over the race's early climbers', he would have been joint leader of the climbers' classification.
He finished level on 10 points with Quemeneur but because Dunbar didn’t finish the race the Frenchman will wear the jersey tomorrow.
In the event of two riders being level in that competition, a count back system is usually used to decide who will wear the jersey the following day.
We'll bring you more on Dunbar's condition as soon as we hear anything.
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