Eddie Dunbar has finished a brilliant 2nd
place to Alejandro Valverde on the opening stage of La Route d'Occitanie.
The duo sprinted in at the conclusion of the opening
stage two seconds ahead of the others in the very small select group that
emerged during a hilly finale.
Élie Gesbert (Arkéa Samsic) was in 3rd
place at two seconds. The result means Valverde is now in the race leader’s
jersey with young Dunbar 2nd overall.
And with plenty of climbing to come over the
next three stages in the race formerly called Route du Sud, a clash of youth
and experience is in store between Dunbar and Valverde.
At the end of the opening stage's 175.5km from Gignac-Vallée de l’Hérault to Saint-Geniez-d’Olt-et-d’Aubrac today, Thursday, Dunbar was one of only a handful of riders able to live with the pace set by Movistar over the last 15km on the climbs.
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With 2km remaining Rigoberto Uran (EF Education First) attacked but was brought back, with Eddie Dunbar (Team Ineos) then lighting it up.
When the Irishman went, only Uran and Valverde (Movistar) were able to respond to him; all the others in the select group immediately being distanced.
Those who had been in the group but were unable to follow Dunbar's attack included his team mates Pavel Sivakov and Ivan Sosa.
However, while Dunbar pressed on for a while with big guns Valverde and Uran in his wheel, he soon eased back.
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That took the speed out of the three-man lead group and as a result six riders came back to the leaders.
When the nine-man group reached 1km to go the attacks began again, with the group being reduced to five and Dunbar looking very comfortable.
World champion Valverde then hit the front, towing
the others deep into the final kilometre with Dunbar looking very comfortable
in his wheel.
In the final 300 metres Uran sprinted first in a bid to win before being caught.
Then Valverde attacked to claim victory, with Dunbar right on his wheel but just unable to get past him.
However, in a very hilly war of attrition, Dunbar, Valverde and Uran looked by far the strongest; terrific company for the Team Ineos Irishman to be in.
And on the line it took world champion
Valverde to deny the 22-year-old Irishman his first international pro win.
More to come.
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