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RTÉ News
05-07-2025
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Eddie Dunbar relishing first appearance at Tour de France
He's endured a longer than expected wait to begin his first Tour de France, but Eddie Dunbar is exactly where he needs to be. "In terms of training, this is probably the fittest I've ever been," the Cork man told RTÉ Sport on the eve of the race. "I haven't gotten too many results this year. I've had some good performances, but I've been really consistent. From last October until now, I've been really consistent. And it's something my coach always says to me now. He said, 'you've never been this consistent, and you've never been as fit as you are now,' which is always a confidence boost." Dunbar was always a talented rider, dominating domestic events from a young age and then winning the Under 23 Tour of Flanders back in 2017. However, four seasons with the Ineos Grenadiers team saw him overlooked for Tour selection. He then focused on other races during his first two seasons with his current Jayco AlUla team, netting a fine seventh in the 2023 Giro d'Italia and then winning two stages in last year's Vuelta a Espana. And now, at 28 years of age, he is finally making his Tour debut. "It's a big event," he said. "Not just in cycling, you can feel that it's more like a worldwide event. There's more people here. It's bigger, it's more stressful, stuff like that. It's special to be part of it." The Tour gets under way this weekend with two sprinter-friendly stages. Dunbar and Ben Healy (EF Education-EasyPost) are the two Irish competitors in the peloton, with the 2020 Tour de France points jersey winner Sam Bennett unfortunately missing selection by his Decathlon-Ag2r-La Mondiale team. He is yet to return to that level of form and was told in the run-up to the event that he had to win a stage in the Giro d'Italia in order to secure a place in the Tour. That Giro success didn't happen, leaving just Dunbar and Healy flying the flag. Dunbar's participation in the Tour was an open secret; he and his team made his intended selection clear to RTÉ earlier this season, but on the condition of confidentiality. That early green light gave Dunbar time to prepare, building up gradually for a very big target. However a crash in Tirreno Adriatico saw him hit his head, complicating things. And while he returned to competition just under a month later in the Itzulia Basque Country event, he dropped out on stage 6 after suffering headaches. "I've escaped illness this year," he said. "I had that crash in Tirreno and suffered quite a bit with the concussion, which hampered the April racing period. "It's always a recurring theme with concussion. You don't notice it [at the time], but then when you look back in it and talk to a few specialists as well, it was clear to see that that had a big effect on me. I probably should have taken a bit more of a break from racing. "That was probably the only period that I had a bit of a mishap." Dealing with the heat Dunbar resumed racing again in late April and had a good buildup since then. He lined out alongside Tour favorites Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates), Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) and Remco Evenepoel (Soudal Quick-Step) in the Criterium du Dauphine, and compared well early on. He was eighth in the stage four time trial, conceding just 20 seconds to Pogacar. "That was probably the best TT I had probably ever done, I reckon, in terms of numbers. And in the calibre of field that were there as well," he said. "So to be in the top 10 in that company was pretty good for the confidence. "When you do a TT like that, it's pretty clear that the shape is good. It's a great test. I was very pleased with that." Dunbar jumped up to sixth overall as a result and went into the big mountains hoping to keep performing. However the extreme heat of stage seven saw him suffer and slip back. He eventually finished 19th overall. "It was definitely the heat," he said. "That seems to be kind of reoccurring theme. Obviously, last year at the start of the Vuelta, that's where I lost all my time as well. "Other than that day I think my condition was really good. I had a lot more good days than bad days, so I was happy with that." Dunbar followed that up with a period of time training at altitude in the French Alps, plus some work trying to adjust to high temperatures. He hopes that will pay off at the Tour. "I need to accept now that once it goes above that 35 degree heat, that is obviously not something I was brought up with either in Banteer," he quipped. "I'm much more used to the wind and the rain and cold weather." Dunbar is a climbing specialist and will aim to steer out of trouble in the first 10 days. He has had more than his fair share of crashes during his career and staying out of danger will be a big priority. Another will be helping his Australian team-mate Ben O'Connor, who is the team's designated leader. Dunbar is a talented rider but accepts that role; O'Connor was second in last year's Vuelta a España, as well as in cycling's world championships, and has the chance of a high overall finish. He's got more experience than his Irish team-mate, and so the latter is willing to work for him. "It's more so the second and third week where that terrain suits me much better – that's where I can show my strengths and be there for Ben," Dunbar said. "My main job this over this next three weeks is looking after Ben if he's on course for the general classification." Is there room for personal ambition? Like Dunbar, Ben Healy is a very talented rider. He went close to stage wins during his own debut last year, going clear in breakaways and being the last rider left out front. However the hectic general classification behind saw the teams of Pogacar and Vingegaard ride hard at the front for extended periods, quashing Healy's chances. Like Dunbar he was due to ride for the designated team leader in this year's Tour, but illness ruled 2024 king of the mountains winner Richard Carapaz out. Healy will have his own chance as a result, hunting stage wins during the Tour. Does Dunbar envisage any personal opportunities of his own? "I think if Ben [O'Connor] is up there, you have to give him the support. He's earned that with his results in grand tours," he answered. "Obviously if opportunities come up, you have to be ready. It's the Tour de France, and you never know what situations you might find yourself in. But it'll be a long three weeks." It's possible that Dunbar will get a chance over the course of the race. That will be even more so the case if O'Connor – who has had fluctuating form this year – finds himself out of the running. If that happens, Dunbar's two stage wins in last year's Vuelta a España will stand to him, in terms of self-belief and tactics. The first of those victories was into Padron and saw him launch a perfectly timed surge from the day's breakaway, winning stage 11. The second was a real test of his climbing ability, and saw him triumph atop Picon Blanco on the final mountain stage of that race. "They gave confidence and experience as well," Dunbar said of those wins. "When you're in a race situation like that, if there is a grand tour stage on the line, you just have to use your head as well as your legs." The next week and a half will feature flat to undulating stages, with the first big summit finish not coming until stage 12. Dunbar is looking forward to the mountains, particularly the infamous Mont Ventoux. Whether he ends up riding for O'Connor throughout the three weeks or will get his own chances here and there, he will relish riding his first Tour.
Straits Times
02-07-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
Pogacar eyes fourth Tour crown as rivals scramble to keep pace
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox PARIS - Reigning champion Tadej Pogacar begins his bid for a fourth Tour de France title on Saturday, seeking to cement his status among cycling's greatest all-rounders, with rivals Jonas Vingegaard and Remco Evenepoel hoping to find a weakness in his armour. The race's 112th edition begins in Lille, with Slovenia's Pogacar, who previously triumphed in 2020, 2021, and 2024, aiming to join Britain's Chris Froome in the elite club of four-time winners. That would edge him closer to the record five titles held by Bernard Hinault, Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx and Miguel Indurain. The 26-year-old world champion's scintillating spring classics campaign, featuring victories at the Tour of Flanders and Liege-Bastogne-Liege plus podiums at Milan-Sanremo and Paris-Roubaix, showcased his versatility and drew comparisons to Merckx and Hinault. Pogacar's dominance continued at last month's Criterium du Dauphine, where he claimed three stages and overall victory by 59 seconds over two-time Tour winner Vingegaard. "For sure, this helps the morale and motivation for the Tour because it is the biggest goal of the season. I think it is a mental boost for all the team," he said after his commanding performance. His sole vulnerability emerged during the Dauphine's 17.4km time trial, where he conceded 48 seconds to Evenepoel and 28 to Vingegaard - a potential weakness with two time trials totalling 43.9km awaiting in this year's Tour. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Singapore and Cambodia to expand collaboration in renewable energy, carbon markets and agri-trade Singapore 3 out of 4 in Singapore cannot identify deepfake content: Cyber Security Agency survey Singapore Ong Beng Seng's court hearing rescheduled one day before he was expected to plead guilty Singapore Three hair salons raided in clampdown on touting, vice, drugs in Geylang and Joo Chiat Singapore The romance continues: Former 'Singapore girl', 77, returns to Osaka Expo after 55 years Singapore GrabCab, Singapore's newest taxi operator, hits the roads with over 40 cabs to be rolled out in July Singapore Police looking into claim by driver who caused teen's death that he was an NUS student Singapore 3 weeks' jail for man who touched himself on train, flicked bodily fluid on female passenger Denmark's Vingegaard, enjoying smoother preparation than last year when he was recovering from a serious injury, aims to reclaim the crown after finishing over six minutes behind Pogacar in 2024. The 28-year-old, who won the Tour in 2022 and 2023, suffered a concussion during March's Paris-Nice but rebounded to take second at the Dauphine. Vingegaard will be backed by a strong Visma-Lease a Bike team featuring Giro d'Italia winner Simon Yates, 2023 Vuelta a Espana champion Sepp Kuss, two-time Paris-Nice winner Matteo Jorgenson and the versatile Wout van Aert. "With these eight very strong riders, we believe in the plan we made for the Tour de France. From day one we will have to be there as a team to optimally assist Jonas in the general classification," said Grischa Niermann, Visma's head of racing. "We have an optimal preparation behind us and with that, we think we can get the best possible result." Belgium's Evenepoel, who claimed third on his Tour debut last year, underwent surgery after crashing during December training. The double Olympic champion made a remarkable comeback, winning April's Brabantse Pijl before the Soudal Quick-Step rider finished fourth at the Dauphine, over four minutes behind Pogacar. Germany's Florian Lipowitz emerges as a potential dark horse after his Paris-Nice runner-up finish and third place at the Dauphine. The Tour's 3,338.8km route features 52,500 meters of climbing across 21 stages of cycling's ultimate test. REUTERS
The Star
02-07-2025
- Sport
- The Star
Cycling-Pogacar eyes fourth Tour crown as rivals scramble to keep pace
PARIS (Reuters) -Reigning champion Tadej Pogacar begins his bid for a fourth Tour de France title on Saturday, seeking to cement his status among cycling's greatest all-rounders, with rivals Jonas Vingegaard and Remco Evenepoel hoping to find a weakness in his armour. The race's 112th edition begins in Lille, with Slovenia's Pogacar, who previously triumphed in 2020, 2021, and 2024, aiming to join Britain's Chris Froome in the elite club of four-time winners. That would edge him closer to the record five titles held by Bernard Hinault, Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx and Miguel Indurain. The 26-year-old world champion's scintillating spring classics campaign, featuring victories at the Tour of Flanders and Liege-Bastogne-Liege plus podiums at Milan-Sanremo and Paris-Roubaix, showcased his versatility and drew comparisons to Merckx and Hinault. Pogacar's dominance continued at last month's Criterium du Dauphine, where he claimed three stages and overall victory by 59 seconds over two-time Tour winner Vingegaard. "For sure, this helps the morale and motivation for the Tour because it is the biggest goal of the season. I think it is a mental boost for all the team," he said after his commanding performance. His sole vulnerability emerged during the Dauphine's 17.4km time trial, where he conceded 48 seconds to Evenepoel and 28 to Vingegaard - a potential weakness with two time trials totalling 43.9km awaiting in this year's Tour. Denmark's Vingegaard, enjoying smoother preparation than last year when he was recovering from a serious injury, aims to reclaim the crown after finishing over six minutes behind Pogacar in 2024. The 28-year-old, who won the Tour in 2022 and 2023, suffered a concussion during March's Paris-Nice but rebounded to take second at the Dauphine. Vingegaard will be backed by a strong Visma-Lease a Bike team featuring Giro d'Italia winner Simon Yates, 2023 Vuelta a Espana champion Sepp Kuss, two-timeParis-Nice winner Matteo Jorgenson and the versatile Wout van Aert. "With these eight very strong riders, we believe in the plan we made for the Tour de France. From day one we will have to be there as a team to optimally assist Jonas in the general classification," said Grischa Niermann, Visma's head of racing. "We have an optimal preparation behind us and with that, we think we can get the best possible result." Belgium's Evenepoel, who claimed third on his Tour debut last year, underwent surgery after crashing during December training. The double Olympic champion made a remarkable comeback, winning April's Brabantse Pijl before the Soudal Quick-Step rider finished fourth at the Dauphine, over four minutes behind Pogacar. Germany's Florian Lipowitz emerges as a potential dark horse after his Paris-Nice runner-up finish and third place at the Dauphine. The Tour's 3,338.8km route features 52,500 meters of climbing across 21 stages of cycling's ultimate test. (Reporting by Vincent DaheronEditing by Toby Davis)
NBC Sports
27-06-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Tadej Pogačar's quest for a fourth Tour de France title backed by strong UAE Team Emirates squad
PARIS (AP) — Tadej Pogačar will be supported by an impressive squad in his quest for a fourth Tour de France title. The UAE Team Emirates leader will be surrounded by excellent all-rounders and climbers with the experience required to answer the demands of the most grueling of three-week races. The 26-year-old Pogačar once again is the main favorite after yet another dominant season that recently saw him win the Critérium du Dauphiné, the traditional curtain riser before the Tour that generally indicates the form of the moment. The Tour de France starts on July 5 from the northern city of Lille. Pogačar's team said he will be supported by five teammates from the Critérium du Dauphiné — Jhonatan Narváez, Nils Politt, Pavel Sivakov, Marc Soler and Tim Wellens — with João Almeida and Adam Yates rounding out the squad. Pogačar is an extremely versatile rider capable of winning on all terrains. This year, the reigning world champion from Slovenia also won the Tour of Flanders, Strade Bianche, Liège–Bastogne–Liège and the Flèche Wallonne. His appetite for victory has drawn comparisons with the greatest cyclist of all time, Eddy Merckx. 'I'm excited for the Tour to start. I'm lucky to have had close to the perfect preparation this year — everything has gone really smoothly, especially coming off a great altitude camp with my teammates,' Pogačar said. 'The vibes in the team are amazing right now, and that gives me a lot of confidence.' If Pogačar wins the Tour, he will draw level with Chris Froome for the fifth most Tour wins of all time. Four riders — Jacques Anquetil, Merckx, Bernard Hinault and Miguel Indurain — have won cycling's biggest race five times. Pogačar's main rival through July is expected to be Jonas Vingegaard, a two-time Tour champion who will lead the Visma-Lease a Bike team. 'Of course, you can never be fully prepared for something like the Tour de France — it's unpredictable, and that's part of what makes it so special,' Pogačar said. 'I'm expecting a very high level from all the other top riders.' The race features six mountain stages with five mountain finishes, and two time trials. 'The first few days should be really exciting for the fans with some open, aggressive stages, and the last week is very climbing-heavy with some iconic stages,' Pogačar said. 'It's going to be a big fight all the way to Paris, but I'm ready to give everything.'
San Francisco Chronicle
27-06-2025
- Sport
- San Francisco Chronicle
Pogačar's quest for a fourth Tour de France title backed by strong UAE Team Emirates squad
PARIS (AP) — Tadej Pogačar will be supported by an impressive squad in his quest for a fourth Tour de France title. The UAE Team Emirates leader will be surrounded by excellent all-rounders and climbers with the experience required to answer the demands of the most grueling of three-week races. The 26-year-old Pogačar is once again the main favorite after yet another dominant season that recently saw him win the Critérium du Dauphiné, the traditional curtain riser before the Tour that generally indicates the form of the moment. The Tour de France starts on July 5 from the northern city of Lille. Pogačar's team said on Friday that he will be supported by five teammates from the Critérium du Dauphiné — Jhonatan Narváez, Nils Politt, Pavel Sivakov, Marc Soler and Tim Wellens — with João Almeida and Adam Yates rounding out the squad. Pogačar is an extremely versatile rider capable of winning on all terrains. This year, the reigning world champion from Slovenia also won the Tour of Flanders, Strade Bianche, Liège–Bastogne–Liège and the Flèche Wallonne. His appetite for victory has drawn comparisons with the greatest cyclist of all time, Eddy Merckx. 'I'm excited for the Tour to start. I'm lucky to have had close to the perfect preparation this year — everything has gone really smoothly, especially coming off a great altitude camp with my teammates,' Pogačar said. 'The vibes in the team are amazing right now, and that gives me a lot of confidence.' If Pogačar wins the Tour, he will draw level with Chris Froome for the fifth most Tour wins of all time. Four riders — Jacques Anquetil, Merckx, Bernard Hinault and Miguel Indurain — have won cycling's biggest race five times. Pogačar's main rival through July is expected to be Jonas Vingegaard, a two-time Tour champion who will lead the Visma-Lease a Bike team. 'Of course, you can never be fully prepared for something like the Tour de France — it's unpredictable, and that's part of what makes it so special," Pogačar said. 'I'm expecting a very high level from all the other top riders." The race features six mountain stages with five mountain finishes, and two time trials. 'The first few days should be really exciting for the fans with some open, aggressive stages, and the last week is very climbing-heavy with some iconic stages,' Pogačar said. "It's going to be a big fight all the way to Paris, but I'm ready to give everything." ___
