Eddie Dunbar has recorded another excellent ride on the international stage against the strongest national teams the Irish junior team will face at the European and World Championships.
By Brian Canty
Eddie Dunbar has gotten off to a flying start at the Trofeo Karlsberg stage race for juniors in Germany, placing fifth on the tough opening stage yesterday.
The O’Leary’s Stone Kanturk rider, who is competing for the Irish team this weekend having just finished his Leaving Cert days ago, stormed up the finishing climb, with many riders keeling over at the top.
David Zwerko of Slovakia won the stage, with Ward Jaspers of Belgium in second and Hampus Anderberg of Sweden rounding out the podium. They, along with Dunbar, had been in the day's 10-man breakaway that went early.
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Initially there had been a four-man break, with Dunbar present. But two riders dropped back to make it Dunbar and Anderberg up front and at one stage they built a commanding lead of almost two minutes.
However, with eight men chasing them, Dunbar and the Swede were reeled in making it 10 up ahead to contest the finish.
Back in the bunch the remaining Irish men acquitted themselves very well, staying out of danger and coming home in that peloton.
Craig McAuley, deputising for Dylan O'Brien who had to withdraw with a chest infection earlier in the week, was next best of the Irish in 28th at 1:20. Michael O'Loughlin was 30th on the same time and Daire Feeley 40th also on the same time.
Stephen Shanahan was 60th just six further seconds adrift. All did well in what was for some their first time riding at this level.
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Junior men's coach, Neil Delahaye is overseeing operations for the weekend and said his charges will know they have been in a battle by Sunday’s concluding stage.
"It's elbows and arms out, and like nothing some will have experienced before," he said.
"These Nations Cups are the biggest races outside of the European and World Championships so all the strong nations are here. And a good number of countries are using this as preparation; it gives our lads the opportunity to see what they’ll be up against.
"We need to know who are the strong teams and who we need to look out for and what kind of dynamic the race takes,” he said of the learning experience afforded to the Irish who will target the Europeans in Switzerland in three weeks.
“Because a lot of nations have a certain strength in depth to control things and then they’ll have individuals who are strong, it’ll be good for our lads to see who they are.
“So the more exposure they get to this level of competition the better. The Nations Cups are really aggressive and really fast. Even on the restricted gears the average speeds are 43 or 44 kilometres an hour which is faster than A1 races at home."
Today, Saturday, the riders face two stages; an 8.8km individual time trial and an 80km road stage.
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