Eddie Dunbar ninth overall in Switzerland with Megan Armitage taking third in Luxembourg

Eddie Dunbar ended his final race before the Giro d’Italia with a very encouraging performance, ending up ninth overall in the Tour de Romandie on Sunday and showing he is coming into fine form.

The Corkman had been prominent on Saturday’s summit finish, crossing the line ninth, and then steered clear of trouble on Sunday’s concluding leg. That stage to Geneva ended with a sprint finish, where the Colombian rider Fernando Gaviria (Movistar) surged ahead prior to the last corner and reached the finish line well clear.

Dunbar didn’t dispute the sprint, rolling in 31st, and ended the race with that ninth place overall. He was one minute 53 seconds behind the race winner Adam Yates (UAE Team Emirates).

His performance in the race has given him a sizeable boost prior to the Giro d’Italia, which begins next Saturday in Fossacesia Marina. Dunbar has experienced considerable frustration this year due to a crash on his first day of competition, a fractured hand plus a slower-than-expected recovery, but he is now on track for the Giro, his top goal of the season.

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He will lead the Jayco AlUla team there and has said he is aiming for a top 10 finish overall.

Meanwhile Megan Armitage continued her own path towards what is expected to be a first-ever Irish start in the women’s Tour de France in July, performing solidly in the prestigious 2.Pro-ranked Ceratizit Festival Elsy Jacobs race in Luxembourg.

The Offaly rider rode aggressively to take third overall in the mountains classification. She was 25th on Sunday’s second and final stage, racing in as part of a group 36 seconds behind the dozen riders who sprinted it out for the stage win. Australian Ally Wollaston (AG Insurance – Soudal QuickStep) was first to the line.

Armitage ended the race 22nd overall, and was the best rider from her Arkéa Pro Cycling team.

She has made a clear step up this year, including taking the first two victories of her pro career in March.

Also faring well is Imogen Cotter, the Clarewoman coming back into strong form after a period in the wilderness. She has been riding for her Fenix-Deceuninck Continetal team-mates this week in the 2.2-ranked Gracia stage race in the Czech Republic, and finished in the main bunch on Sunday’s final stage.

Polish rider Dominkia Wlodarczyk (MAT Atom Deweloper Wroclaw) beat breakaway companion Jenny Rissveds (Sweden) to the finish in Orlová. The latter won the overall standings, with Cotter improving three places to a very solid 14th place overall. Her squad finished second in the team competition.

The performance shows she is regaining momentum after being hit head on by a car in early 2022 and suffering multiple injuries.