Eddie Dunbar will next week continue his preparation for the Giro d'Italia by lining out in Italy in an Ineos Grenadiers team that includes Chris Froome and Geraint Thomas.
The Irish rider has been named as part of the Ineos Grenadiers line-up for Tirreno Adriatico, the traditional preparation race for the Giro usually held in the spring.
With the event taking place this year just over three weeks before the Giro begins it will be a very firm indicator of the top riders' form and will also be an especially interesting outing for Ineos Grenadiers.
Froome and Thomas were dropped by the team for the Tour and they will both have a point to prove. Froome will be keen to show how is recovery from last year's crash is continuing while Thomas needs to demonstrate quickly that his career as a Grand Tour contender is not over.
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Thomas is more likely than Froome to hit the heights this year, but has endured miserable form since the re-start of racing after Covid19.
Tirreno Adriatico is an opportunity to begin the resurrection of his season and a good performance in Italy would transform him from spectacular under-achiever this year to Giro favourite.
Dunbar's last outing was his best of the season to date and arguably the top performance in his career; riding to 4th place at Giro dell'Emilia up the climb in San Luca.
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He went head-to-head with world class riders in the finale and more than held his own against them at the end of a 200km race.
However, with both Froome and Thomas in the same team as the Irishman next week, Dunbar might be restricted to team duties for the race that starts on Monday.
His first chance to present himself as the rider worth backing in the team will come next Wednesday on stage 3; some 217km from Follonica to Saturnia with modest climbs, including an uphill finish.
Also in the team with Dunbar, Froome and Thomas are Tao
Geoghegan Hart, Filippo Ganna, Salvatore Puccio and Rohan Dennis.
Like Dunbar, Geoghegan Hart is also capable of proving strongest in the team despite the presence of two former Tour winners in the line-up.
That battle for supremacy within Ineos Grenadiers will be interesting to watch. Dunbar goes into the race capable of a stage win and much more - if he is given the chance to target a result for himself.
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