Eddie Dunbar, a guest of the Nicolas Roche Performance Team in France at the weekend, put it up to some of the best juniors in Europe riding for their national teams (Photo: Andréa Quémener)
By Brian Canty
Eddie Dunbar has notched another major result as he continues his development in the junior ranks, taking third place on the final stage of the three-stage, two-day Trophee Centre Morbihan Nations Cup race in France at the weekend.
The O’Leary’s Stone Kanturk rider was a guest of the Nicolas Roche Performance Team and along with team mates Dylan O’Brien, Craig McAuley, Aaron Swan, Mark Downey and Fintan Ryan lined up against the best riders in Europe.
Those from other countries were riding for their national teams, meaning the field was filled with the best junior riders from those other nations.
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The event, for some of the Irish riders their first exposure to this level of competition, was a fast and testing affair. But Dunbar showed he’s progressing very well in his second year at junior level when he made many of the key moves over the weekend.
The Banteer teenager had to settle for a bunch sprint in Saturday’s 97-kilometre opener, despite getting away in a big group of 20 or so riders. But with no Dutch men in the move, it was brought back for a sprint; won by Erland Blikra of Norway.
Dunbar went clear again on the finishing circuit - five laps of nine kilometres - with two other riders. But that too was brought back and he crossed the line in 37th in the same time as the winner.
Dunbar in the breakaway on the opening stage in France with riders from the national squads in the race including those from Norway, Italy, Spain and Russia (Photo: Andréa Quémener)
That afternoon saw the riders tackle a 7.2 kilometre time trial and again it was Blikra who won the stage in a superb time of 9’21”, an impressive 19 seconds faster than the next best rider and 49 seconds faster than Dunbar, for whom a deflated tyre cost time.
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Dylan O’Brien was 63rd at 1:16, McAuley was at 1:51, Ryan at 1:58 and Swan at 2:11. Downey had a very heavy fall and though he finished, he wasn't given a finishing time.
The result saw Dunbar creep up to 31st before the final stage; a hilly 106-kilometre showdown.
There, he attacked repeatedly. And though he missed the initial 15-man break, as soon as that got reeled in he made his move and had three more with him for company; one of whom had stayed out front from the original break.
Though one of the four would get dropped, Dunbar still had two for company out front; Filippo Rochetti of Italy and Emiel Planckaert of Belgium.
The trio worked well to get an advantage of over 30 seconds on the tough circuit. But sensing the peloton were closing from behind, Dunbar attacked solo in the final kilometres.
He said he thought he had the race won before being caught in the final few hundred metres by the Italian and the Belgian, both of whom were riding on their national teams.
Rochetti, who Dunbar knew would beat him in the sprint, took the win from Planckaert. But the reigning Junior Tour of Ireland champion held on for third with the bunch coming in some 15 seconds later.
National road race champion Fintan Ryan crossed the line a very solid 41st, O’Brien was 56th and McAuley 60th, all in the same time. Swan was listed as a DNF.
While he thought he had the final stage won, Dunbar - seen here third rider in the distance - had to be content with third behind the Italian and Belgian (Photo: Andréa Quémener)
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