Eddie Dunbar has had some unfortunate crashes in recent years but says he can't wait to get back racing after his latest set-back (Photo: Ivan Benedetto-SCA-Cor Vos)
Eddie Dunbar may have returned to training after his road traffic crash in Monaco on March 12th - a day after departing Paris-Nice after a crash there - but he says he has a long way to go before he can be competitive again.
And though a return to racing has been mooted for late summer, that remains a proposal at this point rather than a firm plan. Dunbar described the last three months - when news of what he was dealing with was kept under wraps - as "a really difficult period".
“I was just moving around on my city bike,” Dunbar explained of his crash in Monaco, as he was going about his day-to-day business rather than going training at the time.
“A scooter came from my left side, did not respect the right of way, and basically sent me flying. At first, I didn’t think it was anything too serious. But after a few seconds my ankle started turning blue and I immediately understood that something was wrong.”
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Checks at a nearby hospital confirmed his fears of serious injury; something Dunbar says was hard to digest. He instantly knew his plan to lead Pinarello Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team at the Giro d'Italia were over.
“From the beginning of the season, the Giro was my main objective. Suddenly, that was no longer possible. I had seven weeks completely off the bike," he said.
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"I wanted to keep working physically, but with my leg immobilised there was very little I could do, apart from some upper-body work — which is not always ideal for a cyclist.
“I found myself without a real target, without anything concrete in front of me, apart from recovery. That is not easy. As a rider, you are used to having structure every day. Suddenly the structure becomes very different: treatment, patience, small steps and trying not to rush.
“At that stage with rollers, hydration and recovery were really important” Dunbar says. “Even when you are not training properly, your body is still working hard to repair itself.
"I had to make sure I was taking care of the basics: staying hydrated, replacing what I needed. You don’t want to lose more than you already have."
Though his team has mentioned Vuelta a Burgos or the Clásica de San Sebastián - both at the start of August - as possible return races, the team has stressed such a return to racing in late summer "could be an option".
However, Dunbar is really happy to be now back on his bike and moving towards a return, whenever that might be.
“There is still a mountain of work in front of me before I can be competitive again. I know that. But at least now I am back doing what I need to do. I can ride my bike again, I can start building properly. And I can feel like a cyclist again.”
