Eddie Dunbar on the attack out front up the final climb more 100 miles into the first British Cycling Elite Road Series of the year. His aggression decided the outcome (Photo: Larry Hickmott - VeloUK.net)
After making a great start to his tenure with UK-based Continental team NFTO Pro Cycling since the season began, Irish teenager Eddie Dunbar found another gear in the opening round of the British Cycling Elite Road Series in Lancashire.
Not only did he make the key breakaway in the 115 mile Chorley Grand Prix, but he attacked it and split it to pieces the last time up the testing climb on the 23-mile course.
He pulled clear alone and was joined by two others; his team-mate Ian Bibby and Steve Lampier (Team Raleigh GAC).
And once that trio powered on to the finish as the best of the rest scrambled behind, Dunbar buried himself to ensure the move succeeded in order to set up local man Bibby for the win.
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He obliged by finishing the job with an attack on the run-in that carried him clear of his Irish team mate and Lampier to win solo.
Dunbar was caught and beaten by two chasers who closed him down from behind in the dying section of the race.
But his 5th place and the work he did to ensure Bibby took the victory for the team has further built his reputation in his first months in the pro peloton.
Ian Bibby claims victory in Britain's biggest race of the season so far after Eddie Dunbar had taken the racing out of the legs of the last men standing (Photo: Larry Hickmott - VeloUK.net)
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Bibby was full of praise for Dunbar’s contribution afterwards.
“It was just two of us in there from NFTO so we were a bit outnumbered, but Eddie goes uphill like a rocket,” said Bibby, referring to the 18-man move he and Dunbar found themselves in on the third ascent of five of the Rivington climb.
Bibby said when the large breakaway reached the bottom of the hill for the final passage, Dunbar looked for instruction from him and was told to ride up it as hard as he could to soften up the others.
“I told him to hit them hard, so he went,” he commented, with Lampier the only one in the escape able to go after Dunbar’s stinging attack on the climb after more than 100 miles of hard racing.
Bibby then latched onto the Raleigh man, leaving the two of them on the road just behind lone leader Dunbar.
“I looked behind and saw there were only two of us so our best chance was to get across to Eddie and really commit,” said Bibby.
“Eddie killed himself and sacrificed it for me. He’s done incredible for his first year.”
British Cycling Elite Road Series
Round 1, Chorley Grand Prix
1. Ian Bibby (NFTO Pro Cycling) 4hrs 39mins 14secs
2. Steve Lampier (Team Raleigh GAC) @15secs
3. Morgan Kneisky (Team Raleigh GAC) @22secs
4. Karol Domagalski (Team Raleigh GAC) same time
5. Eddie Dunbar (NFTO Pro Cycling) @26secs
6. Adria Moreno Sala (Velosure Starley Primal)
7. Mark McNally (Madison Genesis)
8. Richard Handley (JLT Condor)
9. Wouter Sybrandy (Nuun-Sigma Sport)
10. Yanto Barker (One Pro Cycling) all same time
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