Is late-bloomer Dunbar only now at his best due to a lack of grand tours? "I haven't reached my full potential yet"

Eddie Dunbar experienced the two most successful years of his cycling career. A solid top ten in the 2023 Giro was followed by two stunning stage wins in this year's Vuelta. It seems like the cycling world underestimated the little Irishman a bit. The search for what type of rider Dunbar is goes on for now, too. And the Jayco AlUla rider himself adds to that.

Indeed, in conversation with Daniel Benson, Dunbar indicates that it doesn't matter much to him. With Ben O'Connor coming to the team, he is at least eager to ride in the Australian's service. "Right now, I think I will do the Tour and support Ben. I've never done the Tour, so that's a nice way to step in. He's someone who can compete for the podium. He finished fourth in the Giro and second in the Vuelta. It would be nice to support him and achieve that team goal."

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Pocket climber Dunbar eager to help O'Connor get new leader jerseys

Dunbar wants to reach "full potential" after win and GC

So, being a domestique, that is. But what does Dunbar himself still have in the bag? "I would also like to go for a GC again. Maybe next year in the Vuelta. Maybe not, but going to the Tour and performing there is the first goal. I have to check that box. Maybe I'm not at my best yet. I know what I can do by training, and I've seen some of it in races, but I'm still convinced I can get better," stated the man who said he wanted to reach his full potential.

And that potential could go a long way. "I don't think I'm there yet," says the man who has only competed in five grand tours. "The thought [of stopping] did pop into my head. If this happens again, you know, it was raw at the time as well. It did pop into my head, but at the same time, something in me said I can't stop like that. I felt like there was something in me that I needed to get out and show that I could win races. That showed at the Vuelta," said the Irishman, who thus wants to race more to get stronger.

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