Eddie Dunbar looking fit and ready to go in the kit of new team NFTO; the UK-based Continental outfit (Photo with thanks to Larry Hickmott of VeloUK.net)
He was undoubtedly the Irish junior of the year over the past two seasons and now teenager Eddie Dunbar has spread his wings and taken flight to the UK.
As these photos from Larry Hickmott of VeloUK.net show, Dunbar seems to have settled quite nicely into the fold at NFTO, the UK-based Continental-ranked outfit he will ride for in the year ahead.
The squad won the race to sign him up despite competition from more established outfits An Post-Chainreaction and Condor-JLT.
“It is a brilliant opportunity to be part of NFTO and learn off riders like Steele von Hoff who has experience in the pro ranks winning WorldTour races," Dunbar said.
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“He’ll be a good guy to go out training with if I get the chance.
“And guys too like Ian Bibby and Rob (Partridge) who have been round the British scene for so long.
Dunbar on the front having a chat with his team mate on a training ride in Wales. He was hugely dominant as a junior and hopes are high he can progress again during the coming year (Photo with thanks to Larry Hickmott of VeloUK.net)
“They have experience of not only the Premier Calendar races here but the Rás too and that may play into my hands down the line when I try to win that.”
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He added he has a lot of family in the UK, on both his mother’s and father’s side, and was already well familiar with the racing scene there having watched many of the bigger events on TV.
“I can see what the races look like and it will be good to do them and a good step up from what I have been doing," he explained.
"But it would good to also get a ride in the big UCI races as well though. I’d prefer to be thrown in at the deep end.
"For me, that is the best way for me to learn and make it as hard as possible.
“I don’t like it when they are easy. I prefer to do a really hard race and get something out of it”.
Dunbar seems to be part of a good set-up in the UK and has suggested having plenty of family there should minimise the transition of moving away from the family home in Cork for the first time (Photo with thanks to Larry Hickmott of VeloUK.net)
NFTO has a good mix of youth and experience and Dunbar says he can learn a lot from those riders who have been around for a while; a refreshing attitude for a man of his talents (Photo with thanks to Larry Hickmott of VeloUK.net)
Getting the grub in during a cafe stop (Photo with thanks to Larry Hickmott of VeloUK.net)
Given the surroundings, Dunbar could just as easily be at home riding between the ditches in Ireland (Photo with thanks to Larry Hickmott of VeloUK.net)
One of the riders sets out all his kit in one place, with each man issued the same swag; nice work if you can get it (Photo with thanks to Larry Hickmott of VeloUK.net)
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