Eddie Dunbar's stock has been rising steadily all year and the first-year U23 rider is one who could go very well at the European U23 Championships in Estonia this weekend. The course for the road race features some stinging drags every lap and Dunbar will look to impose himself there.
By Brian Canty
Ireland has several medal prospects at the European junior and U23 road and time-trial championships which started in Tartu, Estonia, today and run until Sunday.
Ciara Doogan got the ball rolling for the eight-strong team earlier today when she finished 29th of 48 riders in her individual time-trial.
The first-year junior from Errigal CC, clocked a time of 21:27 over the 14.4-kilometre track.
The winner was Agnieszka Skalniak of Poland who clocked a time of 19:33, one of just two riders to go under 20 minutes.
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It’s a performance Doogan can be very proud of as she was competing against more experienced riders and she’s a junior as well next year.
Just last month the rising star from Donegal took fifth in the points race at the European Track Championships in Athens, missing out on a bronze by just two points.
And in the individual pursuit in Athens she finished ninth in a stellar field.
Next up tomorrow, Friday, is the men’s U23 time-trial where Ireland has its best chance of a medal in Ryan Mullen.
The An Post Chain Reaction man was 2nd in the World U23 TT Championships last year and will be the first rider down the ramp tomorrow morning at 11.28am local time (9.28am Irish time).
The 31.5-kilometre course has several 90-degree bends and reaches a max gradient of 6.6 per cent with a maximum elevation of 53 metres.
It’s not exactly perfect for a man of Mullen’s characteristics but could well favour Eddie Dunbar who is the only other Irish competitor in the event.
The young Corkman is off at 11.52am local time, 9.52am Irish time.
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Likely medallists there, aside from the Irish pair, include last year’s runner-up Davide Martinelli of Italy and Nikolay Cherkasov of Russia.
Following that tomorrow afternoon is the junior men’s time-trial where Michael O’Loughlin and Simon Tuomey are in action for Ireland.
Tuomey is off at 3.30pm local time (1.30pm Irish time) while O’Loughlin is off at 3.59pm local time (1.59pm Irish time).
There are 72 riders competing over an 18.4-kilometre course and both riders have every right to be optimistic of chasing a medal.
However, the man to beat would appear to be Norwegian Tobias Foss who was third last year.
The road races follow on Saturday with the junior women's race and Sunday with the man juniors followed by U23 men.
Doogan, Dunbar, O’Loughlin and Tuomey should all go very well on the hilly 12.4-kilometre lap which has gradients of over 10 per cent in parts.
Doogan’s race starts Saturday at 9.30am (7.30am Irish time) and is 74 kilometres long.
Tuomey, O’Loughlin and Darragh O’Mahoney get underway on Sunday at 10am (8am Irish time) for 124 kilometres in the junior men's race.
Mullen, Dunbar, Daniel Stewart and Sean McKenna will do 161 kilometres, starting at 2pm (12noon Irish time) in the U23 road race.
You can watch the racing live by clicking on this link.
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