To-date, just eight Irish riders have started the Vuelta a España but tomorrow, Conor Dunne will add his name to the list.
The Aqua Blue Sport rider is racing his first year on a Pro Continental team, and it’s a measure of how well he has adapted to the level that he has been selected for the nine-man team.
Dunne made his debut in Aqua Blue colours back in January and since then he has lined up at some of the top races in the world including Liège-Bastogne-Liège, La Flèche Wallonne and the Tour de Suisse and has also come close to a win on a couple of occasions. He finished 2nd on a stage of the Herald Sun Tour (2.1) and 3rd at the Irish National Road Race Championships, but so far, the win has eluded him.
When told that a limited number of Irish riders had lined up in a Grand Tour, Dunne said: “I never really thought of it but it’s an honour really. I’m representing the team here but also my country.”
Last year, he was racing for JLT-Condor having spent the previous two seasons also at Continental level with An Post Chain Reaction. At the end of last year, he didn’t think he would have the opportunity to race in a Grand Tour so soon.
“No, I wasn’t expecting it,” he says. “I knew I was on the longlist from the start. It was just before Burgos that I found out. I feel thankful to the team for giving me a chance. It’s a big step up for me.”
Dunne admits that he has felt a bit nervous about starting a three-week race, but his team-mate Larry Warbasse who lives near him in Nice has helped him.
“We live near each other in Nice so he’s helped me quite a lot his year,” he says of Warbasse. “He’s given me a few pointers before this and helped to settle the nerves. He’s been a good help.”
The step up from Continental level racing to Pro Continental level racing is something that he feels he has adjusted to well
“It’s been tough but I think I’ve held my own this year,” he says. “The big difference is that every race is a big race and it puts a lot of stress on the body. You just have to be like super on top of everything, looking after yourself, doing your exercises and making sure your muscles are loose and getting ready for the next race.”
He will be taking learnings from his season so far to the Vuelta where he admits he will have to rein in his attacking style to a certain extent, having learnt a lesson at the Tour de Suisse about going into the red.
“I’d definitely like to get in the breaks,” he says. “In previous races you can go all or nothing but here I’m going to have to be a bit more smarter about it. I can’t afford to do stupid stuff so I’ll have to pick my moments. I’ll have to look after myself on the really mountainous days and on the less mountainous days, see if I can sneak away.
“The days before the first rest day will be good. I’d like to pick my days when the GC guys don’t put it in the big ring. I’m really going to have manage those mountainous stages. I’ve got to be a bit smarter about things.”
As regards his new team, he appreciates being back on an Irish team having previously raced for An Post.
“It’s nice being back on an Irish team,” he says. “It’s a pretty big deal for me. In Australia, at the Cadel race, there were so many Irish and at every race since, there have been so many Irish flags. It’s a real big boost to have.”
Despite being born in the U.K., Dunne has very strong Irish links. “My granny was from Charlestown in Mayo and my granddad was from Offaly and they moved to Wembley,” he says. “There was a big Irish community there and I grew up proud of being Irish. I had lots of memories of going back to Ireland, to Dublin to see my granddad and to Mayo for weddings. I’ve spent a lot of time in Waterford the past few years and I love it down there.”
There is also a strong sporting pedigree in his family.
“My mum was actually the Kenyan Open squash champion,” he reveals. “They lived in Kenya for four years. She won lots of tournaments but that’s always the one she boasts about.”
“My late uncle Roger raced on the continent with Dan Martin’s dad and he was the one who got me into cycling.”
In recent weeks, his sister Katy has also been making headlines, having qualified for the women’s doubles in Wimbledon. However, the siblings’ competitive streak caused problems when they were younger.
“Me and my sister, we used to have a table-tennis table but got banned from it because my sister threw a bat at me,” he recalls. “I ran away and ran into a door frame and knocked myself out.”
Hopefully that competitive streak will be seen over the coming weeks in the Vuelta and his desire to get into breaks continues.
Best of luck to him