Ireland's Eddie Dunbar showed no fear in attacking but lost some time in the final section of stage 9 at Tour de l'Avenir on a very hard day in the Alps.

Eddie Dunbar aggressive in Alps at Tour de l'Avenir

Eddie Dunbar has ridden impressively on an epic stage at the Tour de l’Avenir, though he ultimately lost time.

And at the end of today’s 89km stage 9 finishing at the top of the cat 1 Val d’Isère, he slipped to 16^th overall - at 2:47 - having started the stage in sixth place.

With 3,000 metres of climbing to contend with, the final third of today's stage was almost all uphill. But it was in the last 25km that the racing was really on.

With just under 25km remaining the lone leader, Fernando Barcelo from Spain, had one minute on a chase group of around 10 riders.

The peloton, which had already whittled right down, contained the race leader, Tadej Pogacar from Slovenia, and Eddie Dunbar.

Indeed, the yellow jersey and Dunbar would jump out of the peloton and catch those ahead, with just under 23km remaining on the stage.

Unfortunately, after attacking and catching the group, the effort was in vein. The peloton – which was down to a select group of less than 15 - was just behind.

The peloton caught the chase group of approximately 10 just as Dunbar, the race leader and two others latched onto the back of the group.

That regrouping left a peloton of about 25 riders some 1:10 behind the lone leader. As soon as the regrouping occurred around the yellow jersey, Dunbar attacked the group.

He took the race leader with him; the 19-year-old in yellow clearly not going to give Dunbar any leeway.

However, their move was quickly closed down. A few minutes after they were recaptured, Michel Ries from Luxembourg attacked the group.

The yellow jersey went after him. Those two joined up and set off in pursuit of Barcelo. And that was the way the front of the race stayed for the remaining 20km.

Pogacar and Ries gradually closed in on the leader all the way to the line. But the Spanish cyclist hung to win by nine seconds.

Ries was 2^nd from Pogacar, whose impressive ride increased his overall lead. Behind them on the road for the duration of the final 20km the ‘peloton’ had fractured.

Unfortunately as the race split, some of those Dunbar was with got away from him and he would lose time.

Early action from Team Ireland

Dunbar is Ireland’s rider for the general classification at Tour de l'Avenir. But the rest of the team played their part today too.

They have ridden impressively throughout this race; every one of them justifying their selection.

Michael O’Loughlin and Darragh O’Mahony went clear in an early 10-man escape today; getting up the road despite the pain to come.

And after they had been caught, Daire Feeley and Matt Teggart rode clear in another attack. While they were also reabsorbed; the Irish were to the fore.

Dunbar had his first dig with about 45km remaining on the stage, pulling clear in a small group that also contained Mark Donovan of Team GB and eventual stage winner Barcelo.

They were still clear over the top of the 16.5km Montee des Arcs; crested with 40km remaining.

Soon after going over the top of that ascent Barcelo attacked. The breakaway, including Eddie Dunbar, had about 45 seconds on the yellow jersey group; still a medium-sized peloton at that point.

Barcelo was joined by Barnabas Peak; a Hungarian riding for the UCI composite team. Those two pulled away from the eight-man group Dunbar was in.

Up front Barcelo rode away from Peak, who was picked up by the chasers now one minute back.

And as the really impressive lone leader pressed on, Dunbar’s group was caught by what remained of the peloton.

Another group would then pull clear from the peloton; which the race leader, Dunbar and two others rode across to.

However, it was at that point a regrouping occurred to create a peloton of less than 25 riders.

And while Dunbar would attack it with the yellow jersey, they were caught. And soon the race leader went clear again with Ries.

Behind then, what remained of the peloton split in the final 20km and Eddie Dunbar lost time.

However, he has ridden a fantastic race so far. Furthermore, he was again one of the few riders able to animate the racing on the climbs today.

Dunbar and the rest of the Irish team have one more chance tomorrow; the race concluding atop the Col du Glandon after cresting the HC Col du Chaussy.