Ireland’s Eddie Dunbar finished 20th in the Men’s Under 23 Road Race at the World Road Championships in Innsbruck yesterday following a strong performance from Team Ireland.
Dunbar, who recently signed for Team Sky, attacked out of the main group of favourites on the penultimate climb of five with 36 kilometres to go in an effort to make contact with the two leaders out front. He got to within nine seconds of the two leaders Mark Padun (Ukr) and Patrick Muller (Sui) in company with Switzerland’s Gino Mader and was clear for approximately 17 kilometres before being reabsorbed by the bunch on the final ascent of the demanding 7-kilometre Igls climb.
He paid for his earlier effort and eventually finished 3’23” behind new world champion Marc Hirschi of Switzerland but the final result did not reflect the role that Team Ireland had played in the race.
Team manager Neil Martin set out a clear game plan that was designed to make the most of Dunbar’s credentials and from the early kilometres of the 180km race, Darragh O’Mahony, Michael O’Loughlin and Conn McDunphy were the first three riders in the peloton, setting the tempo behind a group of three riders just over two minutes clear.
Dunbar sat fourth in the group with Daire Feeley fifth rider in the line and ready to support Dunbar should he need assistance. O’Mahony and McLoughlin brought Dunbar into the first climb of an arduous alpine test in perfect position after nearly 100km and O’Mahony and McDunphy both fought back up front after difficult moments to make further important contributions.
Behind Dunbar, Conn McDunphy rode heroically to finish 84th, an impressive result for a rider who only found out he was riding the race this week. The other three were listed as non-finishers and all five can reflect on a committed and aggressive team performance to equal anything seen from an Irish team on the road.
Afterwards Eddie Dunbar was understandably disappointed with the final result but proud of the way in which Team Ireland had taken the race on.
“I didn’t feel good at all today which was disappointing because the guys rode so well,” he said. “We rode to win the race today. I went in with the intention of winning and I would have been happy with nothing else.
“The third time up the climb when they went full (gas) and I just realised that, right, if the race comes down to the climb it’s not going to be my day today.
“I just thought I need to think of a different way of doing what I normally do but in the most effective way and that was by attacking on the descent.
“I came close to the two guys out front but if there was any other rider than the Swiss rider with me it might have been a slightly different race going onto that final lap.
“I wouldn’t have had to spend too much energy trying to across to the two up front. We actually would have caught them, I think.
“Look it was just the way the race went but that aside I think the Irish lads deserve massive credit because they rode superbly today and I’ve never seen that.
“I’ve never seen any Irish team take control of a race like they did today, in a world championship even, and they deserve a lot of credit for that.
“We had a meeting last night. We knew we could win the race and we gave ourselves the best possible chance of doing that. When push came to shove today I probably did let everyone down here but as I said it was just wasn’t my day my legs just didn’t show up.
“I was there mentally today but my legs weren’t and that’s kinda disappointing because I had good form last week and I thought my prep coming into this and everything I’ve done, I don’t think I could have actually done it better.
“Not finishing off today for what the guys did yeah, it’s just a bit disappointing but, as I said, it’s bike racing and life goes on.
“We hit the circuit and we rode the first time up the climb and I felt pretty alright. Normally when I do that I start to feel better. I know my body well enough now and I started the race and I didn’t feel great at all and normally I’d say, alright give it time, I haven’t raced in a week so maybe just ride into it.
“I ate and drank perfectly. I couldn’t have done that better and, yeah, I never actually rode myself into it. Normally when you’re riding on the front like that it opens you up a little bit.
“That’s the way I wanted to race today and stay out of trouble and stay out of the wind. I know I was probably seen at the front quite a bit but I was still sheltered and as I said I just didn’t feel it today but as I said I’m quite disappointed.”
