Eddie Dunbar records best result yet of season

One week before the start of the Giro d’Italia, Eddie Dunbar showed his improving form by taking his best result thus far this year. The Corkman finished ninth on the toughest stage of the Tour de Romandie on Saturday, riding strongly on the 21 kilometre snow-lined uphill finish to Thyon 2000, surging clear with 5.1 kilometres remaining and then continuing to ride well despite being reeled in 500 metres later.

He eventually crossed the line 54 seconds behind the solo stage winner Adam Yates (UAE Team Emirates), who took over the race lead.

Dunbar, who will lead the Jayco AlUla team in the Giro, crashed and fractured his hand on his first day of competition this year. He was sidelined from racing for just under two months, returned to competition three and a half weeks ago and is clearly coming into solid condition.

“Big, big day at Romandie,” he said in a social media post. “Thanks to all the @Greenedgecycling boys for their support. Happy with where I’m at ahead of the big one next week. See you soon @Giroditalia.”

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Dunbar’s performance saw him leap 21 places in the overall standings to ninth overall. The WorldTour race concludes on Sunday with an undulating 170.8 kilometre stage to Geneva.

Across the Atlantic Conn McDunphy continues to perform well in the Tour of the Gila stage race in New Mexico. He followed up his ninth place on stage two with eighth in the stage three time trial late on Friday, covering the 26 kilometre course one minute 23 seconds behind the winner Walter Vargas (Team Medellín – EPM).

McDunphy improved eight places to 15th overall, and will aim to make further progress before the race conclusion on Sunday.

Meanwhile Megan Armitage rode solidly on the opening stage of the 1.Pro-ranked Ceratizit Festival Elsy Jacobs race on Saturday. The 111.1 kilometre race to Steinfort was won in a ten rider sprint by former world champion Marta Bastianelli (UAE Team ADQ). Armitage was best placed of her Arkéa Pro Cycling Team in 23rd, 38 seconds back.

The two day race concludes on Sunday with a lumpy stage to Garnich.

In the Czech Republic Imogen Cotter finished 28th in the 13.5 kilometre Havirov time trial, stage three of the Gracia stage race. She was then 47th in the afternoon road race, 18 seconds behind the Polish rider Malwina Mul (MAT Atom Deweloper Wroclaw).

Cotter suffered multiple fractures when she was struck by a car early on in 2022, but appears to be getting closer to her previous level.