Eddie Dunbar has fought back to maintain his general classification hopes at the Tour of the Alps after being dropped on the final climb today. The young Irishman was in the select group, chasing a strong breakaway, on the final climb of stage 3 when attacked with about 25km to go.
While Dunbar was chased down and quickly recaptured, his Ineos Grenadiers team mate Richie Porte soon followed up with a counter attack, as another member of the team - Pavel Sivakov – was also in the group.
However, when the Dunbar and Porte were caught the pace went up in the group and Dunbar was soon in trouble off the back. He was dropped out of sight, with Porte following him out the back door as the top of the climb neared.
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However, while Porte got back on with apparent ease on the descent and rejoined the 12-man select group, Dunbar was nowhere to be seen. Luckily, however, he was picked up by a chasing group and they caught the select group deep inside the final 5km, meaning Dunbar dodged a bullet and kept his GC hopes alive.
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Up the road, a seven-man breakaway group survived to fight it out for stage victory, with Lennard Kämna (Bora-hansgrohe) attacking in the final kilometre. He held off Andrey Amador (Ineos Grenadiers) by three seconds to take victory with Jonathan Lastra (Caja Rural - Seguros RGA) in 3rd.
The GC group – containing Dunbar and race leader Pello Bilbao (Bahrain Victorious) - was led in by Sean Quinn of EF Education-EasyPost some 57 seconds after Kämna took the stage win into Vilabassa.
The result on today’s stage 3 – before the only uphill finish of the race tomorrow – meant Bilbao held his race lead. He has six seconds in hand on Romain Bardet (Team DSM) with Attila Valter (Groupama FDJ) in 3rd at 12 seconds.
Then comes a group of nine riders all at 16 seconds; Dunbar included, who sits 7th overall. The Irish rider is likely to be part of a three-pronged approach again tomorrow, also including Porte and Sivakov, though Bilbao and his team look very strong.
