Eddie Dunbar
fought all the way for the best possible result at the conclusion of La
Route d'Occitanie (2.1) in France today.
The young Irishman was only three seconds off Tony
Gallopin (AG2R-La Mondiale) in 4th place at the start of the final stage.
And when it came down to a sprint for victory from a
reduced peloton, Dunbar battled his way to the front and took 11th in the
40-rider gallop.
However, while any gaps opening behind him may have seen
him move up the general classification, the group finished tightly packed.
The 154.8km stage 4 from Gers-Astarac
Arros en Gascogne to Clermont-Pouyguillès was run over a lumpy circuit.
But while the terrain and the speed trimmed the peloton right back, the presence of Arnaud Demare (Groupama-FDJ) in the front group at the finish was proof the course was not hard enough for the climbers.
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Demare took the stage victory, his third
win of the season and his second of this race after also winning stage 2 on
Friday.
In the end Dunbar had to be content with
5th overall, some 45 seconds down on overall winner Alejandro Valverde (Movistar).
The world champion just beat Dunbar for
stage victory on the uphill stage 1 finish, with the Irish rider claiming 2nd
on the same time.
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That result meant Dunbar was 2nd overall
and took the young rider classification lead. He defended his overall position
on the following stage, won by Demare in a bunch sprint.
On Saturday’s stage 3 Dunbar was once
again among the last men standing when the select group came down to just four
men.
With him was his Team Ineos team mate
Ivan Sosa, Rigoberto Uran (EF Education First) and Valverde.
However, when Sosa attacked inside the
final two kilometres as the summit finished neared, he pulled clear with Uran.
Dunbar was left with Valverde and the
veteran Spanish rider gradually dragged himself across to the two leaders.
Eddie Dunbar lost time and was caught and
passed by some of the riders who had been dropped earlier.
He went from 2nd overall to 5th and also
lost his young rider classification leader to Sosa, who claimed the stage win.
And when there was no change in the
overall today it meant Valverde won the race from Sosa and Uran, with Gallopin
4th and Dunbar in 5th.
The Irish cyclist was also second to Sosa
in the young rider classification and Team Ineos took the team prize.
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