Eddie Dunbar confirms move to Q36.5 Pro Cycling team from Jayco-AlUla
Eddie Dunbar
is to join the Q36.5 Pro Cycling team on a two-year contract.
The Banteer cyclist departs Jayco-AlUla after three years and is set to join the Swiss team's ranks this winter.
Despite finishing seventh overall in the 2023
Giro d'Italia
and winning two stages in last year's
Vuelta a España
, Dunbarr acknowledged he is yet to fully deliver on his talent.
'Grand Tours suit me well because I always get better towards the end. I absorb the workload of a three-week race well,' the 28-year-old said on Monday, confirming the move.
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'There have been glimpses of what I can do but due to crashes and illness I haven't reached my full potential there yet. That's something for the next two years.'
Kurt Bogaerts is head of performance at Q36.5 and has strong experience of working with Irish riders. He previously ran the Sean Kelly racing team and has managed Irish national sides.
Bogaerts also worked with Dunbar at Ineos Grenadiers, and believes he can help get the best out of the Cork man.
One area they will seek to improve is Dunbar's placement skills in order to avoid the types of crashes which have affected him in the past. While bad luck has been a factor in some of his falls, Bogaerts said Dunbar has acknowledged he must also work on his bike handling.
'If you can have healthy conversation, and we have that already, we know we need to work on that,' said Bogaerts. 'We are both on the same page. I think that's already a big step in the right direction that we both agree that we need to improve this. But we also don't need to make it bigger than it is.'
Dunbar will be racing alongside the Olympic mountain bike champion Tom Pidcock, who came on board as team leader earlier this year. Dunbar competed with Pidcock during their respective stints at Ineos, with Bogaerts noting they get on well.
The Belgian believes Dunbar will provide important support for Pidcock, but added that his strength means he will also be a leader in his own right. The team may take a dual leader approach in some races, including the
Tour de France
.
But Pidcock's well-acknowledged handling skills may also be an asset as the opportunity to study the Briton's descending technique could serve Dunbar.
'There are a few things we can do to help him achieve his potential,' Bogaerts said. 'We, as a performance team, can definitely support him well, in the coaching and also other areas. There are a lot of topics now around heat and altitude training. I think we have the know how to really ensure he is doing all the efforts to get more out of that.'
Dunbar will next line out in the Vuelta a España, which starts on Saturday.
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