Eddie Dunbar at a training camp with his Axeon Hagens Berman teammates in California. The squad is currently in a camp north of LA and the young Corkman is motivated and excited about the season ahead.
By Brian Canty
Eddie Dunbar is currently on his first official team training camp of 2017 with Axeon Hagens Berman in advance of the new season.
The reigning U23 national time-trial champion is in Calabasas, California, a picturesque town north-west of Los Angeles.
The Axel Merckx-led squad have freshened things up for the upcoming season with eight new riders joining eight from last year, one of whom is the 20-year old from Banteer.
“To compare it to last year I definitely feel a lot more relaxed because I know all the staff this year coming back in,” he said.
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“You still have eight guys still there and it feels nice to come back into a team where you’re familiar with the set-up and you know a lot of the people.
“Having said that, half the team is new and they’re all really good guys.”
Dunbar is particularly friendly with Chris Lawless from the UK having known him all the way up.
Dunbar settles down to lunch with the rest of his teammates; looking smart in the Lululemon casual kit they'll be wearing this season.
“I’ve known Chris since 2011 and I’m rooming with him," the young Irishman said of Briton Lawless.
"We did the Youth Olympics together and of course I know the Oliveira twins (Rui and Ivo from Portugal) from racing a bit in Europe last year.
“The same with the others; I got to know them fairly well over the last week or so and they seem like really good guys.
"It’d be nice to pass on what I’ve learnt over the last two years U23 and help them in any way I can. They seem like they’re really motivated and I’m really looking forward to racing with them,” he added.
Dunbar is in jovial form and feeling right at home in the team and with one of the strongest Continental-ranked squads in the world he’s optimistic of another good season.
Last year he played the team role more often than seeking out his own opportunities and that paid huge dividends for him as they took a string of very big results including stage wins at the Tour de l’Avenir, Olympia’s Tour and Tour de Beauce.
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Dunbar togs off back in the hotel after a training ride with the team.
Dunbar’s biggest win was the penultimate stage of the An Post Rás while he proved instrumental in helping Tao Geoghegan Hart win a stage of the hilly Tour de Savoie Mont Blanc.
The latter has since moved on to Team Sky but in Adrien Costa, Neilson Powless and Logan Owen the team have huge firepower again this year.
Dunbar didn’t have the off-season he would have wanted as a bout of illness meant he could do little.
“I ended up doing the World Championships in October. I didn’t intend on that but they managed to convince me to go over and compete for experience.
"So I did that and that that put my off-season back a bit. After that I took a month off
“But I got sick for 2-3 weeks of the off-season so I literally did nothing for two weeks. I just did the normal things.
"I went on holidays for a few days with a couple of friends, met up with some school friends, had a couple of nights out and was just normal for a few weeks.
“In December I headed back out to the Cycling Ireland house in Majorca and started back into training again and before I knew it I was out here in California.”
Dunbar is one of eight returning riders to the Axeon Hagens Berman team for 2017. The others are Will Barta, Chad Young, Adrian Costa, Geoffrey Curran, Logan Owen, Neilson Powless and Jonathan Brown.
His program is yet to be confirmed but he should know it before the conclusion of the camp next weekend.
“I haven’t sat down with Axel (Merckx) yet but in terms of what I’d like to do this year; obviously help the team out in any way I can is a goal.
“I think last year they always rode so well, results and performances were never an issue.
“We were always there or thereabouts so to do whatever job I’m asked, whether it be work for someone to help someone to win a race or maybe get an opportunity; I’ll certainly take that.
“But the main thing for me is to stay upright and not break my collarbone. That would be a big help just to get a few more races in, rather than spending four weeks at home in a sling.
“I want to race as much as I can and make the most of every opportunity. I’ve no set goals yet but when I get the schedule I’ll be able to set my mind on those goals a bit more.”
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