Eddie Dunbar (Team Jayco AlUla) has put in the ride of his life on La Vuelta today to win stage 11 after a fantastic finish, and strong breakaway ride through the day.
The Irish climber made the breakaway, then made the selection as it split on the climbs. And when it all came together in the final at the front, Dunbar waited and waited before attacking in the last kilometre to win.
Dunbar got clear in a very large breakaway group of over 30 riders, with Israel Premier Tech working on the front in a bid to gain time for George Bennett. Those tactics played into the hands of everyone in the group as the gap opened well above five minutes.
Approaching the final steep climb of the day - the 2.8km Puerto Cruxeiras, averaging 9.2 per cent and crested 12 from the finish - a small group went off the front of the breakaway. That group, crucially, included Dunbar's Italian team mate Filippo Zana.
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Though Zana got dropped, and the line-up in the small group dangling off the front changed before the climb was crested, the chasing group caught them on the approach to the finish.
Dunbar had wisely waited in the group - Zana being ahead giving him the right to do so - following as others chased. And when there was a slight lull with about 650 metres to go, the Irish rider pulled the trigger with a big attack.
Though he has been desperately unlucky this year, and in some recent seasons, with crashes, today that bit of luck any bike ride needs to win a race was, mercifully, on his side.
Immediately he kicked, a big gapped opened and Dunbar was gone. And though the chasers eventually set off in pursuit of him, Dunbar had done enough damage to ensure he had the stage won; crossing the line holding his head in disbelief before celebrating.
He then came to a halt just after the line, in tears as he was greeted by the Team Jayco AlUla staff. The emotion of such a huge victory, after 166.5km of racing into Campus Tecnológico Cortizo Padron, clearly overwhelmed him.
On the line, Dunbar was two glorious seconds up on the next two men to finish; Quinten Hermans (Alpecin-Deceuninck) in 2nd and Max Poole (Team dsm-firmenich PostNL).
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There elapsed another two seconds before a big group - of 11 riders - was led in by Jhonatan Narváez (Ineos Grenadiers) from Urko Berrade (Equipo Kern Pharma) and Zana, the Italian rounding out the top six.
Dunbar also moves up a little in the general classification - by four places to 18th. However, he gained between 3:30 and four minutes on the big general classification men. Dunbar is still six minutes off the top 10, which should bring more freedom to attack again, hunting for another win.
In the general classification battle today, Primož Roglič (Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe) and Enric Mas (Movistar Team) attacked the remains of the peloton on the final climb and rode away to gain time.
Though a number of others - including Mikel Landa (Soudal QuickStep) got across to them, race leader Ben O'Connor (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale) was not among them. The Roglič-Mas group, which was sprinting for 32nd on the stage, finished 3:31 down on winner Dunbar.
O'Connor was 37 seconds further back. And though the Australian keeps the race lead, Roglič and Mas are getting closer; Mas moving into 3rd overall today at the expense of Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost).
O'Connor now leads overall by 3:16 from Roglič, with Mas now 3rd at 3:58 and Carapaz dropping to 4th, at 4:10.
Carapaz's team mate, the Irish champion and Grand Tour debutant Darren Rafferty, was in the remains of the peloton when it hit the final climb today. The 21-year-old from Co Tyrone finished 92nd at 10:06.
Eddie Dunbar steals the show ???
A late surging attack by Eddie Dunbar, sees the Irishman win Stage 11 of La Vuelta! His first top-level win in Team Jayco AlUla colours ?#LaVuelta pic.twitter.com/c9mfwhX5Wv— Eurosport (@eurosport) August 28, 2024
