Eddie Dunbar set for Brabantse Pijl showdown ahead of Ardennes | Sticky Bottle

*Brabantse Pijl on Wednesday will be a great chance for Eddie Dunbar to show his form ahead of his expected selection by Ineos Grenadiers for the Ardennes Classics*

Eddie Dunbar will ride Brabantse Pijl on Wednesday ahead of his anticipated appearances at the Ardennes Classics.

Tom Pidcock and Richard Carapaz are the stand-out names
in the Ineos Grenadiers line-up for the race in Belgium this week, though the
course can also suit Dunbar.

The 24-year-old Irishman has had a mixed season to date; riding solidly at Tour de la Provence before taking it up a notch with 9th at GP Industria & Artigianato, an Italian one-day race.

*Wout Van Aert of Jumbo Visma goes into Wednesday's race as favourite after his Gent Wevelgem win*

Dunbar then moved on to Coppi e Bartali, a six-stage race on a course that should have really suited him, but unfortunately crashed out on stage 2.

Thankfully he
broke no bones and was able to ride GP Miguel Indurain the weekend before last
before playing a support role to Adam Yates at Itzulia Basque Country
last week.

As well as Pidcock, Carapaz and Dunbar in the Brabantse Pijl team – any one of whom could pull off a big result – Ineos Grenadiers have also selected Luke Rowe, Michal Golas, Cameron Wurf and Leonardo Basso.

Michael Matthews is back with the team he enjoyed so much success with earlier in his career, including this Giro 2014 stage 6 win. He's riding well and is due a big result, which may come this Wednesday (Photo: Gian Mattia D'Alberto)

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The 201.7km race starting in Leuven and finishing in Overijse features no fewer than 20 short sharp climbs and includes three laps of a circuit based around Overijse, and featuring five climbs each lap.

That same circuit will make up part of the World Road Championships course this year. And because the event offers a racing recon of the worlds course, and because some top names were aiming to peak for Paris-Roubaix, Brabantse Pijl has attracted a stellar field.

As well as big hitters Pidcock and Carapaz, Gent Wevelgem winner Wout van Aert (Jumbo Visma) will also be on the start line, as will Milan-San Remo victor Jasper Stuyven (Trek-Segafredo).

Richard Carapaz has won just one race since joining Ineos Grenadiers at the start of last year; a stage at the Tour de Pologne his sole victory, though he was 2nd overall at La Vuelta 2020. He could do with a big win and, alongside Tom Pidcock and Eddie Dunbar, he can challenge on Wednesday

Also on the provisional start list is Olympic champion Greg Van Avermaet (AG2R Citroën) as well as 2017 Brabantse Pijl winner Sonny Colbrelli (Bahrain Victorious), Paris-Nice stage winner Magnus Cort (EF Education Nippo), Michael Matthews (BikeExchange) and Matteo Trentin (UAE Team Emirates).

While Van Aert, Pidcock, Stuyven and Carapaz will be the favourites, Matthews, Van Avermaet and
Trentin have all been knocking on the door in recent weeks and are all due a big
win.

Irish eyes will be fixed on Dunbar; on a course that can suit him, with strong team mates and with quality miles in his legs since his crash. A strong result would set him up nicely for the Ardennes.