Eddie Dunbar and O'Leary Stone-Kanturk team mate Dylan O'Brien were racing in Belgium at the weekend, riding two races as guests of Dutch team Tempo-Burns. Dunbar won on Sunday and was 3rd on Saturday while O'Brien was 6th and 7th in the two outings. Dunbar is seen here taking victory on Sunday.
By Brian Canty
Eddie Dunbar has said he is “over the moon” after taking his first ever foreign win.
The talented Leaving Cert student from Banteer, Co Cork, rode two races over the weekend in Holland, taking 3rd on Saturday and the win on Sunday.
Dunbar travelled with his O’Leary’s Stone Kanturk CC team mate Dylan O’Brien, who also acquitted himself exceptionally well in the two races, being active throughout both races and coming away with two top tens; 6th on Saturday and 7th on Sunday. They both guested with the Tempo-Bruns team from Holland.
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Dunbar said both races were very tough, with both thrown in at the deep in on Saturday with what sounded like a speedfest.
“It was pure flat, a zero per cent gradient for the whole thing and we averaged over 42kph,” he said of Saturday.
“The lap was around four or five kilometres, and it was 16 laps I think. It didn’t really suit me but myself and Dylan were still active.
“I got away on Saturday towards the finish with three others, one guy rode off and won it and I thought I was going to get second but the bunch swamped me and I ended up third.
“But (Sunday) made up for it, the race was run by Philip Gilbert’s family; a couple of his brothers were there, and his mother too.
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“It was a 3.6 kilometre circuit; half uphill and half downhill. So it suited me down to the ground. I just kind of bided my time and watched a couple of guys for the first two laps but then I just went for it after that and I got away.
“The gap kept growing, and eventually I came around again after eight laps onto the tail of the bunch. I saw there was a group got away with Dylan in it, so I jumped onto the back of that and we went around again for the finish.
“One guy had attacked out of that small group and got away a bit but he never got around fully. It was just brilliant to win.
“Last year I was second and fifth in kermesse races in Belgium so to get the first win was brilliant, it’s great for the confidence. And Dylan is going really well as well, especially at this time of the year; the two of us surprised ourselves a bit.”
Dylan O'Brien is perhaps overshadowed by team mate Dunbar, but he's no bridesmaid. He is now very much vying for national selection for the major races this year.
