Eddie Dunbar shines in pointy end of chaotic Belgian final
Irishman Eddie Dunbar, far right, sprints in for 7th place on a day when the late climbs and cobbles split the field and the strong men emerged on top.
Eddie Dunbar has underlined his continuing development with one of the best riders of his career in Belgium yesterday.
The young Irishman was on team duties at the end of stage 2 at Le Triptyque des Monts et Chateaux (2.2) but when a crash disrupted the final he ended up best of his team in 7th.
His Axeon Hagens Berman team mate Christopher Lawless retains the race lead. The British ride leads thanks to his 2nd place on the opening stage and time bonuses.
But with two stages remaining today – a TT and road race – it is still all to play for.
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Dunbar was at the front of the field on the run-in yesterday trying to drill out a fast pace to set up Lawless.
But with cobbles and some short ramps to contend with, the charge for the finish line resulted in a late crash.
And when Dunbar lost Lawless due to the chaos he persisted along and took 7th.
His efforts saw him claim some time overall as the first 19 riders on the stage finished 13 seconds ahead of the reduced peloton such was the pressure of the final.
Dunbar said the two 17.8km finishing circuits were chaotic.
“It was already pretty technical, with two cobblestone sections and a cobbled climb of one kilometre,” he said.
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“We were all trying to keep Chris up there as much as we could. I was riding hard up the cobblestone climb with three kilometers to go.
“There was a crash that split the group. People were really stressed in the bunch."
Dunbar is the U23 Irish TT champion, was 6th in the U23 TT at the European Championships last year and 9th at the Worlds.
With a 10.3km rolly TT this morning he may well move up overall and is just 18 seconds off the yellow jersey.
After the morning test the four-stage race concludes with a 98kn stage featuring six categorised climbs which should really suit Dunbar.
“It is going to be short and fast," Dunbar said of the race against the clock.
"It is not super technical, which is good for riders like us. Basically, it will be whoever has the legs after two days of hard racing.
“There is no reason anyone on our team can't win the stage. And that we don't hang onto the yellow jersey.”
O'Loughlin, Teggart and McKenna
Dunbar was 18th on Friday’s 166km opening stage which ended in a bunch sprint won by Daniel Auer (Felbermayr-Simplon Wels).
Three other Irishmen are also riding the race; An Post-Chainreaction duo Sean McKenna and Matt Teggart, was well as Michael O’Loughlin (Team Wiggins).
O’Loughlin finished in the bunch on stage 1, in 54th place. McKenna and Teggart with 98th and 99th, some 3:52 down.
Yesterday O’Loughlin was 46th, with Teggart 72nd and McKenna 76th; all three in the bunch 13 seconds back on the leading 19 riders containing compatriot Dunbar.
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