‘Very close call’ sees Eddie Dunbar miss out on Giro d’Italia selection

Eddie Dunbar's intention of competing in the Giro d'Italia will have to wait another year after the Irishman was not named on the Ineos Grenadiers team for the race. Dunbar had made the event one of his targets for the year, telling The Irish Times one month ago that he hoped to be part of the event.

“I’m on the long list for the Giro. And I think I do the Tour of the Alps before that,” he said then, speaking one day after winning the Settimana Internazionale Coppi e Bartali stage race. “So yeah, all going well in the next few weeks . . . but I am not even going to think about the Giro or anything, actually, because it’s just (a case of) take every week as it comes, take every race as it comes now. And if you’re good enough, you’ll be there, you know?”

Dunbar took fifth on a stage and 18th overall in the Tour of the Alps earlier this month, having ridden for Ineos-Grenadiers teammates in the event. His absence from the team lineup in Friday’s announcement was consequently a surprise; a team official confirmed he is healthy and that missing out on selection was ‘a very close call.’

He also said that Dunbar is not being considered for the Tour de France lineup, meaning the Vuelta a España will be his only opportunity for a Grand Tour this year.

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The Giro d’Italia will begin on May 6th in Budapest, Hungary. The Ineos-Grenadiers Giro squad will be led by 2019 champion Richard Carapaz, and will see riders such as Richie Porte and Pavel Sivakov supporting him. Dunbar played an important role in helping the Carapaz win last year’s Tour de Suisse.

While he has not yet commented on the selection decision, it is likely he will be frustrated to miss out on what would be only the second Grand Tour of his career. He had been due to ride in last year’s Vuelta a España but missed out on that after contracting Covid-19.

He is in the final year of his current contract with Ineos Grenadiers. Dunbar would undoubtedly have more team leadership opportunities elsewhere, and this will be an important point of consideration in weighing up plans for next season.

In other news, three Irish riders began the prestigious Ceratizit Festival Elsy Jacobs in Luxembourg on Friday. The Kiwi rider Anna Henderson (Team Jumbo-Visma) was quickest in the 2.2 kilometre prologue time trial in Cessange. Megan Armitage was best-placed of the Irish in 68th, 21 seconds back. Mia Griffin and Alice Sharpe were two and four seconds further back. All three are part of the IBCT team this season.

Ceratizit Festival Elsy Jacobs, Luxembourg (2.Pro)

Prologue, Cessange: 1 Anna Henderson (Team Jumbo-Visma) 2.2 kilometres in 3'09", 2 D Vollering (Team SD Worx) 2", 3 S Persico (Valcar - Travel & Service) 4", 4 K Swinkels (Team Jumbo-Visma), 5 L Klein (Canyon/Sram Racing) 5".

Irish: 68 M Armitage (IBCT) 21", 75 M Griffin (IBCT) 23", 84 A Sharpe (IBCT) 25".