Seth Dunwoody’s first win in Europe as a junior, just a few weeks into his junior tenure, claiming stage 1 at Penn Ar Bed-Pays d’Iroise (2.1). He went on to win a second stage and the overall, thus well and truly launching himself on the international scene, still aged just 16 at the time
Seth Dunwoody may come from a very small village – a townland – called Hamiltonsbawn in Co Armagh, but the support he has received from those around him has been really obvious in recent years.
He sprinted to victory in the elite-U23 men’s road race at the National Road Championships in Co Mayo in June. And when he gathered for a photo with his family – below – the level of support there on the day was clear, as it has been from the start.
Since then, though he is still in his second season, of four, as an U23, he has been signed by the Bahrain Victorious World Tour team from next season.
He has already been in its junior team – Cannibal B Victorious for two seasons – and its U23 team for, for this year and last, so he knows the ropes very well by now.
Out of Co Armagh | ‘Team Dunwoody’, with Irish road race champion Seth Dunwoody in the middle, in Co Mayo back in June (Photo: Toby Watson)
But making that jump is never assured. Places in World Tour teams are really coveted and there has never been more well-coached juniors and U23s knocking on the doors of major teams looking for contracts.
But Dunwoody has progress as such a rate of knots that it’s likely we will see him in major classics next year, including Paris-Roubaix.
The 20-year-old still has plenty of racing to come this year, including the Worlds in Canada, but said he is delighted with the position he’s now in.
Specifically, he has noted the family support, saying he couldn’t have done it without ‘camp Dunwoody’.
“I’m also blessed to share this achievement with my amazing family, who have supported my dream of becoming a World Tour rider since I was eight years old,” he said.
“Stepping up to the Bahrain Victorious World Tour team is a dream come true. Coming through the junior team and then the development team has been nothing short of incredible.
“I’m extremely grateful to all the staff at Cannibal B Victorious and the Bahrain Victorious Development Team for their hard work, belief and, most of all, the friendly spirit that has helped me grow over the past four years, both as a rider and as a person.
“Stepping into the Bahrain Victorious World Tour team feels like the natural next step after years of support from everyone involved.
“It’s also an ambitious team with a strong roster and shared goals for success, which made my decision an easy one.
“This is only the beginning, and I’m excited to keep developing, working hard and hopefully achieving great things with Bahrain Victorious.”
Dunwoody’s last race, Tour de l’Avenir, saw him crash out with a bad shin injury on stage 2, after taking a chainring to the chin.
But he is working away towards gaining peak fitness towards the Worlds, where the U23 TT could be a bit chance for him and his partner in crime, Adam Rafferty (Hagens Berman Jayco).