'Moments like this don’t come around too often' – Eddie Dunbar doubles up at Vuelta a España

Winner of stage Team Jayco-AlUla's Eddie Dunbar celebrates on the podium after the stage 20 of the Vuelta a Espana, a 172 km race between Villarcayo and Picon Blanco, on September 7, 2024. (Photo by ANDER GILLENEA / AFP).

There is an expression that Eddie Dunbar has been repeating almost like a mantra since his move from Ineos to Jayco-Alula at the beginning of last season: “I need to back myself more.” It turns out he was right.

Five kilometres from the summit of Picón Blanco, at the end of the toughest stage of the Vuelta a España, Dunbar attacked with purpose from the red jersey group on gradients that occasionally grazed 18%. First, the Irishman caught and passed his former teammate Pavel Sivakov, then he resisted a dogged pursuit from David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ), but he knew the day’s favourites had yet to move.