Eddie Dunbar appeared to not be capable to consider he had achieved it, received, as he crossed the road of stage 11 of the Vuelta a España. The Jayco AlUla rider embraced his soigneur, then his teammate Filippo Zana, earlier than placing his head again in his arms. His assault shocked everybody on the entrance of the race, but in addition seemingly shocked himself too.
Dunbar has had a troublesome 12 months and a half. He completed seventh on the 2023 Giro d’Italia, however the consequence might need been even higher had he not fallen unwell late within the race; he additionally got here into the race undercooked as a result of a crash and required surgical procedure in February that 12 months.
The Irishman then crashed on the Tour of Poland in August 2023, dislocating his shoulder. Then, after a sequence of crashes on the Vuelta a España final 12 months, he was compelled to withdraw from the race forward of stage 5.
This 12 months, he crashed on the Volta a la Communitat Valenciana, then on the UAE Tour, earlier than leaving the Tour de Romandie early. Then he crashed out of this 12 months’s Giro. It has not been a perfect time.
Nonetheless, on Wednesday, he lastly acquired his luck, profitable stage 11, his first Grand Tour stage win, and his first WorldTour win at that. It was a compensation for all people who stored the religion in him, but in addition, crucially, a little bit of luck finally.
Wanting on the group which entered the ultimate kilometre collectively, there have been extra apparent picks to win, however Dunbar took his alternative with each arms, and now can name himself a winner. Maybe this implies and finish to the unhealthy luck.
“It’s unbelievable,” he mentioned on TV post-race. “For the reason that Vuelta final 12 months I feel I’ve had seven or eight crashes. Bodily that takes its toll, but in addition mentally that takes it toll on me as properly. I’ve had quite a few occasions in my head that I may not have a future within the sport due to the crashes and the accidents.
“This 12 months after the Giro once I injured my ACL I assumed that was… I assumed that could possibly be the nail within the coffin by way of my biking profession. I had unbelievable assist round me. My girlfriend Niamh supported me, she’s at all times there for me. I’ve an unbelievable group of household and pals, and the workforce backed me. It has been a very long time coming, however to repay all of them at the moment, it means lots.”
With a primary win on the high degree, a workforce which clearly nonetheless believes in him, and time on his aspect, it could possibly be a brand new period for Dunbar. As Jayco AlUla posted on X (previously generally known as Twitter): “We by no means stopped believing.” Clearly, neither did Dunbar.
