Liam O’Brien (20) battles the steep gradients of the Harrat Uwayrid climb on the big finale of AlUla Tour, that offered up plenty of talking points for the Irish (Photo: Charly Lopez)
The five-stage AlUla Tour (2.Pro) came to a close today, Saturday, with a final stage for the general classification men. There were five Irish riders in the race and the outcome was mixed for them.
Some of the younger Irish riders went into it on team duties, and allowed to take a chance if it came there way. In that regard, there was plenty for Irish cycling fans to take encouragement from.
However, we also had a potential stage and overall winner in Eddie Dunbar, who misfired somewhat. That was partly, though not exclusively, down to bad luck. Let’s have a look at the main conclusions from an Irish perspective after what was a week that served up plenty of insights into some of our best riders.
Eddie Dunbar missed chance
A top trier climber on his day – two Vuelta stage wins and 7th on GC at Giro d’Italia – Dunbar went into this race as one of the favourites. This was not an event stacked with a large number of riders who were clear contenders for outright victory. It may have been one of the best – if not the very best – chance Dunbar gets to win a stage race this season.
But he came out of the race with 11th on the final stage his best result and well down the GC; in 35th at 8:40. Just over seven minutes of that was lost in the crosswinds on stage 2. He found himself on the wrong side of splits, only to get back to the front and then puncture.
That misfortunate aside, there is no getting away from the fact this was a missed chance for Dunbar, especially the uphill finish at Bir Jaydah Mountain Wirkah on stage 3, where he was 22nd at 39 seconds. He’s not a rider who generally hits the start of the season in flying form, instead taking time to fine tune his condition. That said, he really should have taken more from this race.
Coming away from the 2.Pro event without winning overall – even finishing on the final podium or taking a stage win – is by no means a disaster for Dunbar. And, let’s not forget, the season has only just started. But cycling is now so competitive, riders really need to take their chances when they come.
Dunwoody, O’Brien World Tour selection
One of the main takeaways from the race, from an Irish perspective, was the presence of Dunwoody and O’Brien on the start line for World Tour teams Bahrain Victorious and Lidl Trek. Both riders are signed to the U23 feeder teams for their World Tour squads. But both were called up to the World Tour set-ups for this race.
And those call-ups should not be taken for granted as few riders get them, especially early in the season. Dunwoody and O’Brien have already been very successful as juniors and U23s; O’Brien a top climber and Dunwoody very fast in the sprints, with 10 UCI-ranked wins already in the bag.
Though O’Brien got a chance on the climbs in the last few days, Dunwoody was never really going to get an opportunity for himself in a team line-up that included two sprinters; Phil Bauhaus and Daniel Skerl (2nd on stage 2). So Dunwoody went about his business, riding for the team, mostly away from the TV cameras. But it will have been an invaluable learning experience and five hard day’s racing in the legs.
Given the large group of Irish riders – male and female – now performing so well on the international stage, it’s easy to take for granted two of our top U23s being selected by their World Tour teams for a pro stage race. But we shouldn’t take it for granted.
Their selection for the first race of the year is really important. It reflects the fact Dunwoody and O’Brien have established themselves at the very top of the pecking order among the group of young riders vying for places in two major World Tour teams.
Five Irish in race
The fact there were five Irish riders in this race was nothing short of remarkable. Irish cycling has had its glory days, winning classics, world titles – track and road – and even the Tour de France, Giro and Vuelta. But the golden eras have usually involved a small number of riders exceling at any one time.
That has all changed – for the first time ever – in the years since the pandemic came to a close. Our male and female juniors, U23s and seniors/pros have all made great strides forward at the same time.
Against the backdrop, it’s perhaps no surprise five Irish cyclists have washed up in the same pro men’s stage race. But it’s not something we are used. It is the very welcome start to what will hopefully become a new trend.
Liam O’Brien’s climbing
Perhaps the standout factor of this race was O’Brien’s climbing. Still just 20-years-old his ascent in the sport has been, like the man himself; calm and collected. But O’Brien’s quiet way of going about his business, is at odds with the progress he has made in recent years.
He secured a place with Lidl Trek Future Racing – Lidl Trek’s U23 team – straight out of the juniors. In his first year as an U23 in 2024 he went close to winning Rás Tailteann on the Irish team and was 3rd at Flèche du Sud (2.2), winning the young rider classification. He was also selected onto the Lidl Trek World Tour team for Tour of the Alps (2.Pro).
Last year he proved himself one of the best climbers in the top U23 European stage races, taking 2nd overall at Ronde de l’Isard (2.2U) and 4th on GC at Giro della Valle d’Aosta (2.2U).
And now this year, he has begun his season with a call up to the Lidl Trek World Tour squad and ridden really well on the two climbing stages. He was 12th on stage 3, at just six seconds, and was among an eight-rider lead group that formed on the final climb today, even if he faded a little to 17th on the line. In short, he looked like one of the best climbers in the race.
O’Brien’s trajectory has been one of constant progress, which gathered significant momentum last year. And this week suggests he has taken another step forward over the winter. This was a great week for him – making the World Tour team and performing on the climbs and pulling the bunch along for team sprinter Jonathan Milan.
Jamie Meehan showing form
This time last year, Meehan was preparing to make his debut for AVC Aix Provence Dole, the first UCI Continental team he had secured a place with. And now, less than a year later, he is beginning a three-year pro contract with Cofidis after a breakthrough season in 2025.
He went to this race to learn, build his form and take any chance that came his way. On stage 4, he spent a large chunk of the race up the road in a breakaway. And today he finished 10th, some 44 seconds down on stage and overall winner Jan Christen (UAE Team Emirates XRG).
He told stickybottle recently this year would be about learning and adjusting to the harder races, while looking to take his chances in the smaller stage races his team rides. He also said a Grand Tour debut may be on the cards.
Over the last five days he has tested himself and, especially today, showed the first flashes of climbing form that can hopefully see him claim results in the stage races to come. Overall, it was five solid days in the bag that confirmed good early season condition.
Dillon Corkery in crosswinds
It was great to see Corkery and Dunbar in the same race. Incredibly they are from the same Co Cork village of Banteer and both cut their teeth with O’Leary Stone Kanturk. They raced alongside another Cork man this week in O’Brien, though he came up the ranks with Fermoy CC.
Corkey has endured digestive issues that have held him back for years. But once free from those problems for a few months last year he did enough to secure a stagiaire with World Tour team Picnic PostNL. He was then offered a two-year deal with the Dutch World Tour team.
This race was the start proper of his tenure with that team and his performances in the crosswinds were notable; making the front group and getting among the big powerful riders driving the pace higher.
Still aged just 26-years-old, he could have a decade in the World Tour to come if things work out well. After all of his problems, it was great to see him in the thick of it as the field exploded on the open roads.