"We will need to adjust our plan" - Jayco AlUla left rudderless at La Vuelta after departures of Eddie Dunbar and Filippo Zana
Cycling
Team Jayco AlUla arrived at the 2023 Vuelta a Espana full of home and with Eddie Dunbar as a serious contender for the podium. With both the Irishman and teammate Filippo Zana having to abandon on stage 5 however, where do they go from here?
“Eddie was already suffering some soreness from the crashes during the TTT on stage one and with the crash today, the impact was in a similar area to the first stage, so it was impossible for him to push, impossible for him to pedal," Team Jayco AlUla doctor, Dani Castillo explains to the team's website. "Fortunately, the x-ray doesn’t show any bone injury, unfortunately he can’t ride at the moment, but with some rest and good treatment he will be ok."
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Former Italian national champion Zana impressed at the Giro d'Italia earlier this year and had held hopes of being a dark horse for a top 10 in the GC and possibly a stage win. "For Filippo, he started to feel some stomach issues yesterday, we did a Covid test and it was negative. It seems like a gastrointestinal virus and he was really empty," explains Castillo. "He tried to do his best but mid-stage he had no energy to keep riding.”
Having been left rudderless, the team now need to readjust, something that may take a few days to work out properly. “It’s a big loss for the team losing these two guys, especially for what is coming up in the next two weeks. We will need to adjust our plan a little bit, but we are still here with young riders that can learn a lot and for sure this Vuelta is not over yet for us,” concludes Sports Director Pieter Weening.
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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- wtf dudemij07-11-2026
- big rival … ridiculous.Ketterechts07-11-2026
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MarkFour07-11-2026 - This is a really interesting idea, which, if well prepared could even be very successful. Very little money needs to be involved for a first season and any success could lead to rapid interest from sponsors.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- Hmmm, you seem to have a very convenient black and white view of things. Perhaps you haven’t been around much to discover how complex problems can become over time with people who know how to control, manipulate (or worse) others so gradually or subtly that you arrive at an irresolvable situation before you realise. This is how many inconveniences get introduced to the young, naïve, passionate or “desperate”, knowing they are not armed, protected or strong enough to defend themselves once it’s too late. Why do you think omerta culture is so widespread, why do you think so many people continue to go through so many awful things in life that others can’t understand anyone getting into? Life may be far more jolly for you but you would do well to understand (or reflect more on) the real world to refrain from being so quick to criticise those in a hard spot that may have genuine reason for speaking out.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
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- I get the point totally. We live in the snowflake society where some riders forget they are getting paid to ride and get results. When they have a few issues they try to look outside of the real issue instead of themselves. It odd so many of the team are making no complaints and getting on with their job. If you do not like what you do find another job simples. Tough love as my mum would say.paultryan200207-11-2026
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- How is radio going to help when someone went over a cliff or bridge or off the roadside into a forest unnoticed and is laying there unconscious?Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
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#LaVuelta23 The show rolls on! 👊 Bring on stage 6! 🏔️
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