Conor Dunne, far right, can reflect on an excellent start to his 2016 racing season with Condor-JLT Cycles. The Irishman might have dropped well down the standings after today's fifth and final stage of the Tour of Taiwan but he was in some big company - and rest assured, he will be in big company again very soon at the way he's going.
Conor Dunne has had his hopes of a high placing on the overall general classification at the Tour of Taiwan pulled from under him after he lost four minutes on the final day.
The Condor-JLT rider came into today’s fifth stage in fourth overall, two seconds down on overnight race leader Ben O’Connor (Avanti IsoWhey Sport).
The Irishman told stickybottle last night that his plan would be to try and stay with the leaders as long as he could on the final climb of the day to Wutai.
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True to his word, he hung on as long as he could but was dropped on one of the steeper sections as the leaders set a furious tempo he couldn’t match.
“I basically saved all energy for the final climb to give it my best to hang on,” an exhausted Dunne said from Taiwan.
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“I wasn't sure what the climb would be like because they’ve been advertised a bit differently in the road book but it ended up being a proper 12-kilometre climb with some steep sections.
“I just rode as hard as I could, got dropped and I think I finished up 27th overall.”
Dunne (who was 29th today @4:06) will now travel back to the UK where he will base himself for much of the season.
His upcoming programme includes the Tour of Normandie, Tour de Loir et Cher and hopefully for him, a spot on the Tour of Yorkshire team at the end of April
“It’s a shame to have lost the GC spot I had starting out today but I couldn't have given any more.
“Those long climbs aren't usually my thing but I’m happy with how the form is so hopefully I can kick on now in next few races.”
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