Irish Cyclist’s Tragic Wrist Fracture at UAE Tour Stage 1 Provokes Doubts for Upcoming Giro Ditalia

Despite his sudden hand injury, Dunbar remains undeterred. Irish cyclist Eddie Dunbar’s UAE Tour debut ended prematurely after a crash on the opening stage. The incident left him with a broken hand, forcing him to withdraw from the competition.

This setback follows a similar crash at the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana, further hindering Dunbar’s racing progress. The crash occurred in the final kilometer of stage 1, dashing the Irishman’s hopes of participating in Tuesday’s individual time trial. In his own words, Dunbar described the incident as a “nightmare,” highlighting the unfortunate timing and the unexpected nature of the crash.

A cyclist’s worst nightmare

An unexpected collision cut Dunbar’s bike race short, worsening his previous right-side injury. The crash happened in the final kilometer of the race as a cyclist readied themselves for the final push. About 15-16 riders were victims of the horrific last-lap crash. Some were thrown towards the barriers. Others fell on the track and badly bruised themselves.

There were also a few cycles that went flying in the air. Such was the devastation of the peloton crash. For Eddie, his misfortune got the better of him. The Irishman was slowing down, seeing the chaos, but someone hit him from behind. He was holding his hand in pain and walked away with a fractured wrist.

“Basically, the crash happened, and I was coming to a stop happy to avoid it and then I got hit from behind by another rider going at about 50kph or something like that. That took me off the bike and straight over the handlebars, and I took all the weight on my right-hand side,” Eddie said.

This setback echoes similar crashes that sidelined him before. Despite his ability to bounce back, such as finishing 7th at the Giro d’Italia, a crash at the Vuelta a España derailed his progress once more. Dunbar had planned his 2024 season, including the Tour of the Alps, intending to compete in the Giro d’Italia.

Familiar territory for Eddie Dunbar

Despite his sudden hand injury, Dunbar remains undeterred. While emotionally affected, he consulted a specialist to determine a fresh approach. The setbacks from recent crashes weigh on his mind, but he is determined to adapt and overcome this latest challenge.

“I’m disappointed. I crashed in Valencia, and now here. It’s more difficult mentally than physically at this point. I’ll go to see a hand specialist, see what the next steps are, and then re-plan the next few weeks,” stated Dunbar.

The upcoming weeks are quite crucial for the cyclist, with the fate of his Giro d’Italia participation on the line. He had his eyes on the race since his 7th place finish in last year’s edition. It is going to be a race against time for Eddie.

They expect him to return to action by April, at the Tour of the Alps.

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