Eddie Dunbar has climbed very well on a big ascent against WorldTour opposition; perhaps the first real indication of where his climbing is at.
Regarded as a very strong climber who can emerge on the international pro scene in the coming years, Eddie Dunbar’s climbing prowess was on show yesterday at the Tour of Utah.
On stage 3 – some 191.5km from Richfield to Payson – the riders scaled the testing ascent of Mount Nebo.
The climb came 130km into the contest and topped out at 3,000 metres.
As expected, it split the field to pieces and when that happened Dunbar was among the last men standing.
While an early escape went clear and managed to build a lead of just over four minutes, it would be overhauled and the big show from the strongest men would start on the climb.
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It was eventual winner Lachlan Morton (Jelly Belly-Maxxis) who hit out first and he was quickly joined by Andrew Talansky (Cannondale-Drapac).
As they went clear it was Dunbar’s very classy young team mate Adrien Costa (Axeon Hagens Berman) who went after them.
As the field split to pieces behind the three leaders as they pulled away, young Dunbar climbed extremely well in what was perhaps the first real indication against serious pro opposition that his climbing is indeed very strong.
On the approach to the finish after the riders had come off the 40km descent, Morton jumped his breakaway companions up the road and claimed stage victory.
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He lifted the race leader’s jersey from the shoulders of Robin Carpenter (Holowesko-Citadel).
Dunbar finished in a group going for 20th place, some 5:57 down.
And while that was a big gap, there was only one other group ahead of Dunbar’s on the road between it and the three leaders.
Behind the Irishman, the gaps were massive; the next group on the road, for example, was 9:43 behind the winner.
Stephen Clancy (Novo Nordisk) had a more testing time than Dunbar on the stage, coming home in 85th some 22:59 down.
Dunbar is now 25th overall, equal on time with a large number of riders 4:07 down on the race leader.
However, with his team mate Costa now 2nd overall and four others in the top 30, the young Irishman will now likely be called on for team duties.
Stage 3: Richfield - Payson 191.5km
1 Lachlan David Morton (Aus) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis 4:24:49
2 Adrien Costa (USA) Axeon Hagens Berman 0:00:03
3 Andrew Talansky (USA) Cannondale-Drapac
4 Joseph Rosskopf (USA) BMC Racing Team 0:01:22
5 Rob Britton (Can) Rally Cycling
6 Darwin Atapuma (Col) BMC Racing Team
7 Taylor Eisenhart (USA) BMC Racing Team 0:01:24
8 Kiel Reijnen (USA) Trek-Segafredo 0:03:57
9 Robin Carpenter (USA) Holowesko-Citadel Racing Team
10 Jonathan Clarke (Aus) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team
11 Neilson Powless (USA) Axeon Hagens Berman
12 Janez Brajkovic (Slo) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team
13 Manuel Senni (Ita) BMC Racing Team
14 Tao Geoghegan Hart (GBr) Axeon Hagens Berman
15 Laurent Didier (Lux) Trek-Segafredo
16 Peter Stetina (USA) Trek-Segafredo
17 Matthew Busche (USA) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team
18 Robbie Squire (USA) Holowesko-Citadel Racing Team
19 Joe Dombrowski (USA) Cannondale-Drapac
20 Logan Owen (USA) Axeon Hagens Berman 0:05:57
21 Lawrence Warbasse (USA) IAM Cycling
22 Emerson Oronte (USA) Rally Cycling
23 Eddie Dunbar (Irl) Axeon Hagens Berman
24 Julien Bernard (Fra) Trek-Segafredo
25 Julien Loubet (Fra) Fortuneo - Vital Concept
26 Chad Beyer (USA) Lupus Racing Team
27 Nicolae Tanovitchii (Mda) Lupus Racing Team
28 Christopher Horner (USA) Lupus Racing Team
29 Angus Morton (Aus) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis
30 Dylan Teuns (Bel) BMC Racing Team
85 Stephen Clancy (Irl) Team Novo Nordisk 0:22:59
General Classification
1 Lachlan David Morton (Aus) Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis 11:30:53
2 Adrien Costa (USA) Axeon Hagens Berman 0:00:07
3 Andrew Talansky (USA) Cannondale-Drapac 0:00:09
4 Darwin Atapuma (Col) BMC Racing Team 0:01:32
5 Joseph Rosskopf (USA) BMC Racing Team
6 Rob Britton (Can) Rally Cycling
7 Taylor Eisenhart (USA) BMC Racing Team 0:01:34
8 Robin Carpenter (USA) Holowesko-Citadel Racing Team 0:01:44
9 Neilson Powless (USA) Axeon Hagens Berman 0:04:07
10 Tao Geoghegan Hart (GBr) Axeon Hagens Berman
11 Janez Brajkovic (Slo) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team
12 Manuel Senni (Ita) BMC Racing Team
13 Robbie Squire (USA) Holowesko-Citadel Racing Team
14 Jonathan Clarke (Aus) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team
15 Kiel Reijnen (USA) Trek-Segafredo
16 Peter Stetina (USA) Trek-Segafredo
17 Joe Dombrowski (USA) Cannondale-Drapac
18 Matthew Busche (USA) UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team
19 Laurent Didier (Lux) Trek-Segafredo
20 Logan Owen (USA) Axeon Hagens Berman 0:06:07
21 Chad Beyer (USA) Lupus Racing Team
22 Julien Loubet (Fra) Fortuneo - Vital Concept
23 Lawrence Warbasse (USA) IAM Cycling
24 Christopher Horner (USA) Lupus Racing Team
25 Eddie Dunbar (Irl) Axeon Hagens Berman
26 Emerson Oronte (USA) Rally Cycling
27 Nicolae Tanovitchii (Mda) Lupus Racing Team
28 Alex Howes (USA) Cannondale-Drapac
29 Julien Bernard (Fra) Trek-Segafredo
30 Dylan Teuns (Bel) BMC Racing Team
105 Stephen Clancy (Irl) Team Novo Nordisk 0:42:22
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