Eddie Dunbar ninth on first big mountain stage of Giro d’Italia

On what was a slow burner of a stage which didn’t quite ignite, Eddie Dunbar posted a last kilometre acceleration to take a fine ninth on the Giro d’Italia’s first summit finish on Friday. First to the line was Davide Bais (EOLO-Kometa), one of three breakaway riders who stayed clear until the end, with the main contenders declaring an unofficial truce on the snow-lined 2,123 metre-high climb of Campo Imperatore.

A strong headwind deterred attacks by those contenders, leading to a curiously restrained pace right into the last kilometre. Dunbar then broke the stalemate of the group when he surged with 200 metres to go, chasing fourth place. He was passed by race favourites Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-QuickStep), the world champion, and Primož Roglič (Jumbo-Visma) plus three others, netting ninth. The group were three minutes and 10 seconds behind Bais.

The result saw Dunbar continue his climb up the general classification, going from 13th to 11th. He is targeting a top 10 overall finish in the event. Overnight race leader Andreas Leknessund (Team DSM) retained the pink jersey, something he wasn’t sure would happen on Friday morning.

“We were quite lucky how the stage unfolded, so in the end it was only full gas in the last few kilometres,” he said. “I think I can be grateful for that and to get more days in pink. I was expecting it to be harder, but only the last kilometre was really hard. Of course I am happy and grateful it ended like that.”

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The Norwegian remains 28 seconds ahead of Evenepoel, with Dunbar two minutes and 15 seconds back.

Ireland’s other rider in the Giro, Ben Healy (EF Education-EasyPost), finished 73rd and is now up to 70th overall. The Giro d’Italia continues this weekend with a lumpy road race stage to Fossombrone on Saturday and then a 35 kilometre individual time trial on Sunday.

Elsewhere, the third stage of the Tour of Hongrie was one for the climbers. Mark Hirschi (UAE Team Emirates) attacked on the final climb to take the stage to Pécs, eight seconds clear of Ben Tulett (Ineos Grenadiers). Sam Bennett rode for his Bora-hansgrohe team on a course that didn’t play to his strengths, and rolled in 60th. He will have an opportunity to chase a stage win on Sunday’s final stage, which is expected to end in a sprint.

Meanwhile Bective Stud and Citybreak Apartments have been announced as the sponsors of the yellow race leader’s jersey and green points classification jersey respectively at this year’s Rás Tailteann. The five day race begins from the gates of Bective Stud in Navan at noon next Wednesday, and features stage finishes in Birr, Ennis, Castlebar, Monaghan and Blackrock, Co. Louth.