Eddie Dunbar continued in Paris-Nice after his crash but was then forced out due to his injuries (Photo: Ivan Benedetto-Cor Vos)
Eddie Dunbar's crash on stage 2 at Paris-Nice was more serious than first believed, with the Irish rider ultimately forced out of the race as a result due to lingering injuries.
The Pinarello Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team rider came down in a group fall just over 30km from the finish on Monday's stage 2, which took the riders 187km to Montargis. He was able to get back on his bike, even making it into the peloton again, though the first sign of his injury came the next day.
The former Irish TT champion was well below par in the stage 3 TTT, finishing the stage last of his team, though he would usually be one of the strongest. He lost almost six minutes on the day, almost five minutes behind his team's time.
Advertisement
Pinarello Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team told stickybottle the Irishman's condition continued to be impacted by the crash in the days that followed. Specifically, he suffered from bruised ribs.
Such an injury may not force a rider out of a race, depending on where it was sustained and how serious it was. But it can also be very painful and can impact a rider's breathing and comfort levels generally on the bike.
The team response added, though no fractures appear to have been sustained by the double Vuelta stage winner, further medical assessment would be required to confirm the precise nature of the injury.
Related News
Paris-Nice would have been a hard block of racing for the 29-year-old Irish climber, as it was a big step up from the two stage races he has already ridden this year - AlUla Tour and UAE Tour.
The preparation the past week would have provide could have been very beneficial to Dunbar as he prepared for the upcoming Giro d'Italia.
However, the Giro does not start for almost another two months - rolling out of Nessebar, Bulgaria, on May 8th. That means Dunbar has plenty of time to recover and prepare.
If the initial medical assessment, that he has not sustained any fractures, is confirmed, that recovery can hopefully be swift.
Dunbar won two stages at La Vuelta in 2024, including riding away from the general classification group on the queen stage, on the climb of Picón Blanco to the summit finish, to win in real style.
He also finished 7th overall at the Giro in 2023 and was in the 4th overall with three stages remaining before falling ill.
He should go into this year's Giro chasing another Grand Tour stage win in the mountains and can also aim for the general classification, especially in light of his performance in Italy in 2023.
