Dunbar on Vuelta Stage Win: “I gambled and backed my finish”

Reflecting on his unexpected victory, Dunbar shared, “It’s weird how it goes sometimes. I had a really bad start to the race, lost a lot of time, and came here to ride GC. I learned pretty quickly that I didn’t have the legs for that. My preparation was good, so it was time to reassess and target a stage win. Today was that opportunity. I didn’t expect it; I thought my legs were gone after trying to get into the break early on. Then, all of a sudden, a big break went. Me and Pippo [Filippo Zana] rode very well; we were really smart, and here we are. I actually can’t believe it.

“Since the Vuelta last year I think I’ve had seven or eight crashes. Physically that takes its toll, but also mentally that takes it toll on me as well. I’ve had numerous times in my head that I might not have a future in the sport because of the crashes and the injuries. This year after the Giro when I injured my ACL I thought that was… I thought that could be the nail in the coffin in terms of my cycling career. I had incredible support around me. My girlfriend Niamh supported me, she’s always there for me. I have an incredible group of family and friends, and the team backed me. It has been a long time coming, but to repay all of them today, it means a lot.”

Meanwhile, Primož Roglič of Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe succeeded in reclaiming valuable seconds from race leader Ben O’Connor of Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale. On the day’s final ascent, the Puerto Cruxeiras, Roglič launched a strong attack, initially only followed by Enric Mas. While other competitors eventually caught up, O’Connor struggled and lost 37 seconds, marking a significant setback in his lead.

O’Connor also spoke to Eurosport about the day’s challenges, saying, “I suffered. It was actually super hard. Maybe I could have managed better. Still, I’m in the red jersey, another day ticked off. I’m excited to get into the mountains again, but the punchy finishes are super hard. If I’m not at my best, it can be difficult. Hopefully, once we get to the big mountains, I can get back to how I was in Granada. I’m not happy, but I can’t really do much about it. I need to be a better rider, improve, and be better the next day.”