Eddie Dunbar at the back of the Pinarello-Q36.5 line during the TTT at Paris-Nice (Photo: Billy Ceusters)
Eddie Dunbar (Pinarello-Q36.5) has endured a couple of days to forget at Paris-Nice, suffering a crash and losing time in the TTT, where he shed almost six minutes. The Irishman’s general classification hopes are over, though he at least has the consolation of being so far down he may get some leeway to get up the road.
Dunbar, a double Vuelta stage winner two years ago and 7th on the Giro d’Italia a year earlier, is riding his third stage race of year in France this week, though looks like he is still reaching for form.
However, there is plenty of climbing to come, including uphill finishes over the next two days, which can suit Dunbar.
The Irishman came down in a group crash yesterday on stage 2, just over 30km from the finish. However, he was able to get back on his bike, returning to the bunch and finishing in that peloton.
Visma-Lease a Bike may have slipped a little in the TTT but their team leader, Jonas Vingegaard, is still in striking distance of the yellow jersey (Photo: Billy Ceusters)
Today, the 23.5km TTT to Pouilly-sur-Loire was run off in the relatively new format of the first rider in each team setting the team’s time for the stage. That resulted in many of the strongest riders going ahead of their team mates to clock the fastest time possible.
Each rider was also credited with his own time on the stage for the general classification. And though Dunbar’s Pinarello-Q36.5 officially lost just 1:11 to stage winners Ineos Grenadiers, Dunbar lost 5:45 after his team mates finished ahead of him.
In his team, a trio of riders crossed the line together – Fabio Christen, David de la Cruz and Aimé De Gendt – all 1:11 down on Ineos Grenadiers, with Dunbar finishing last of the team. It was not immediately clear if he punctured or suffered another issue, though his performance today was well below what he is capable of.
Ryan Mullen (NSN Cycling Team), the reigning Irish TT champion but specialist lead-out man, saw his team finish 18th on the stage, at 1:24, with Lewis Askey finishing solo. Mullen lost 2:12 on the day.
Things are looking up for Ineos Grenadiers, winning the stage and now with Kévin Vauquelin and Oscar Onley 2nd and 3rd overall (Photo: Billy Ceusters)
Ineos Grenadiers was winning its first TTT for five years, and did so just 24 hours after three of its riders finished in the four on the TT stage at Tirreno-Adriatico. In France today, Kévin Vauquelin was first home for the British team, just one second up on Oscar Onley.
Ineos Grenadiers beat Lidl-Trek by two seconds today, with Decathlon CMA CGM Team 3rd at 11 seconds. The EF Education-EasyPost team of yellow jersey Luke Lamperti could only manage 6th today, at 23 seconds.
As a result, Juan Ayuso (Lidl-Trek) has taken the leader’s jersey from Lamperti. Vauquelin and Onley are 2nd and 3rd at 2 and 3 seconds, which puts Ineos Grenadiers in the game with their two new signings.
General classification favourite Jonas Vingegaard (Visma | Lease a Bike) is in 7th place overall, at 17 seconds, after his team finished the TTT today in 4th at 15 seconds. He must win this race, and win it well, in a bid to build the confidence and form he needs to get back to his best this season.
🚴♂️ @INEOSGrenadiers remporte le contre-la-montre par équipes et Luke Lamperti dit au revoir à son beau @MaillotjauneLCL 💛
⏪ Revivez le dénouement de l’étape 3
🚴♂️ @INEOSGrenadiers win the team time trial and Luke Lamperti says goodbye to the yellow jersey 💛
⏪ Relive the… pic.twitter.com/VsrYZPPof3
— Paris-Nice (@ParisNice) March 10, 2026