Client Spotlight - Eddie Dunbar: Building Towards the Tour

Client Spotlight - Eddie Dunbar: Building Towards the Tour

When I talk about long-term rider development, there’s no better example than Eddie Dunbar. I’ve known Eddie for years from the fiery, attacking rider who wanted to race everyone into the ground, to the polished GC stage racer he’s becoming today. His journey has had highs, setbacks, and everything in between, but it’s been shaped by one thing above all: a process that respects the rider.

The Sky Years: Too Much of a Good Thing

When Eddie signed with Team Sky, it was the dream move for any young rider: the biggest team, the best resources, and cutting-edge training. But the factory approach doesn’t always fit the rider.

He was pushed into massive volumes 30 to 35 hours a week on the bike. He could handle it, but it dulled the very weapon that made him special: that sharp, punchy acceleration. Eddie put it simply:

“Jon, I feel like the more I do, the more it just scrubs off my top end.”

That was a turning point. I’ve coached riders at every level for 22 years, and I know that more isn’t always better. For Eddie, the sweet spot is 18–22 hours a week. It keeps him fresh, healthy, firing on all cylinders, and ready to race the way he was born to race.

The Numbers Behind the Rider

To ride with the best, you need world-class numbers and Eddie has them. But the real challenge is to keep lifting that ceiling year on year. For us, it isn’t about chasing raw power for the sake of it, it’s about making sure that when the road tilts up, or when the pace goes sky-high from kilometer zero, Eddie has the depth to respond.

That means every camp, every block, and every recovery window has to be perfectly timed. The goal is simple: build an engine that can match the demands of the modern peloton faster, harder, and more relentless than ever..

But numbers only tell part of the story. As Eddie says with a laugh:

“I can ride all day at 5 watts per kilo, but the races are so fast now like Formula 1, everyone’s on a 56-tooth chaining and you’re on the pedals from kilometer zero. The hardest part isn’t the climbing, it’s the fighting to stay at the front that’s where the real stress is.”

Eddie sees the sport clearly with no ego, and it’s what makes him so coachable. We can turn every bit of feedback into progress.

2025: Breakthroughs and Setbacks

This year has tested Eddie, but also revealed what he’s capable of:

* AlUla Tour, Saudi Arabia — Right in the mix on the mountain stages, finishing 4th and 5th on stages, showing the depth we’d built all winter.
* Tirreno-Adriatico — His best ever time trial, silencing the critics who labelled it his weakness. A crash on Stage 5 cut it short, but that’s bike racing.
* Tour of the Basque Country — One of the hardest races on the calendar: short, brutal climbs and constant attacks. We’d prepped with turbo sessions that simulated those finishing climbs, teaching his body to suffer and still have a kick left. He arrived not just to survive, but to shape the race.
* Tour of the Alps — Used as a perfect engine-sharpening race, Eddie rode aggressively, testing his form and building the consistency needed for July.
* Tour de Romandie — Against a world-class field, he held his own in the mountains and confirmed his stage-race shape was where it needed to be.
* Critérium du Dauphiné — A key Tour warm-up. Eddie showed grit and progression, mixing with the GC riders and gaining confidence from holding his own day after day.
* Tour de France — His first Tour, and he didn’t just ride it — he made his mark, especially with that Stage 6 breakaway.
* Arctic Race of Norway — After the Tour, he bounced back with consistency, showing resilience and the ability to keep racing strong.
* La Vuelta a España — The final Grand Tour of the season, where Eddie is waiting for his chance to deliver again.

Eyes on the Tour

July was always the big test to be selected for his first ever Tour de France. And Eddie delivered not just with consistency, but with a moment that really turned heads.

On Stage 6, he made it into the long breakaway that lit up the race. It wasn’t just brute force that got him there it was timing. He waited, watched the moves, and then crossed the gap so fast and so smoothly it looked effortless.

In that group were some of the very best: Mathieu van der Poel, Ben Healy, Simon Yates, and others. Eddie belonged there, right in the mix. He rode smart, rode hard, and fought it out all the way to the line for 4th place on the stage.

On the TNT broadcast, Robbie McEwen summed it up perfectly:

“That was the master move of the day. Dunbar waited, chose his moment, and got across with hardly any effort. That’s real racing.”

For Eddie, that was a breakthrough not just numbers on a screen, but respect from the race itself. For me as a coach, it was proof that all the work, the positioning, the patience, the race craft had finally clicked at the very highest level.

From the Tour to the Vuelta

After the Tour finished , there was no big reset as such just a careful rebuild. The Vuelta is now the next battlefield. Three weeks of relentless climbing, brutal heat, and a race that often rewards the brave. Eddie’s waiting for his chance. He’s not just here to survive; he’s here to take opportunities when they come.

Looking Ahead: A New Chapter with Q36.5

And beyond 2025? The next step of Eddie’s journey is already lined up. He’ll be moving to Q36.5 Pro Cycling in 2026 a team that’s built around riders like Tom Pidcock and him: hungry, ambitious, and not afraid to take on the biggest names.

It’s a fresh chapter, and one that excites me as a coach. The work we’ve done over the past few years refining his training, sharpening his race craft, building his belief is all laying the foundation for what’s to come. Eddie’s not just knocking on the door anymore. He’s ready to step through it.

Why This Matters to You

You might think: That’s fine for a pro like Eddie, but what about me?

Here’s the truth: the principles are the same. Whether you’re a junior trying to break through, an amateur who’s tired of hanging on, or a seasoned racer chasing podiums your growth comes from:

* Training that fits you
* Building belief alongside power
* Learning to race smarter, not just harder
* Having a coach in your corner who knows how to deliver

That’s what I’ve done with Eddie. It’s what I’ve done with riders like Danylo, who went from just finishing races to winning them outright. And it’s what I can do with you.

 If you’re ready to step up and see what you’re capable of, you can reach me here: TrainSharp Cycle Coaching.