Two of Ireland’s brightest hopes for the future, Eddie Dunbar and Michael O’Loughlin, are out of the Baby Giro. U23 Tour of Flanders winner Dunbar crashed in the final of the opening stage.
And while he remounted and managed to limp to the finish just up the road he has been unable to continue in the race. He was diagnosed with concussion and did not start stage 2 on Saturday.
- Flanders hero Eddie Dunbar on his changed approach to cycling
- Video: Watch Eddie Dunbar Tour of Flanders podium celebration
It was unclear when he would return and whether he would be in a position to ride the National Championships. The championships, in Co Wexford, begin on Thursday week with the TT; an event Dunbar was 2nd in last year when he also took U23 gold.
However, as he crashed last Friday, the TT would come some 13 days after sustaining his concussion. That time period would normally be sufficient for riders to return to racing, though that would be decided by a medical examination.
Advertisement
The opening stage of the Baby Giro - Giro Ciclistico d'Italia – took the riders 131.7km and started and finished in Imola. Dunbar’s team mate Neilson Powless (Axeon Hagens Berman) took victory, some 9 seconds clear of the main field.
Related News
Dunbar would crash in the final and finished in 171st place, over 16 minutes down. However, he got himself to the finish and was credited with the time of the group he was in at the time, just 9 seconds down on the winner.
But after undergoing medical checks he was found to have concussion and he did not start Saturday’s stage.
National U23 road race champion O’Loughlin's exit was less concerning than Dunbar's, the Carrick-on-Suir man picked up a bug. He was 43rd on the opening stage, in that large group 9 seconds down on Powless.
He would finish 145th on stage 2, some 154.km from San Valentino di Castellarano to Castellarano. The field split to pieces and second-year U23 rider O’Loughlin (Team Wiggins) was in a group 10:16 down.
The stage was won by European U23 champion Alexandr Riabushenko (Belarus). On yesterday’s stage O’Loughlin was listed as a non-finisher; his illness forcing him out.
O'Loughlin has been in great form of late, including taking the U23 classification in the An Post Rás just last month. Hopefully both will bounce back very quickly and be in top form once again at the championships.
Topics
