Conor Dunne

{{Infobox cyclist

| name = Conor Dunne

| image = Conor Dunne - 2018 UEC European Road Cycling Championships (Men's road race).jpg

| image_size =

| caption = Dunne at the 2018 European Road Cycling Championships

| fullname = Conor Dunne

| nickname = The Langer

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1992|1|22|df=yes}}

| birth_place = St Albans, Hertfordshire, England

| height = {{convert|2.04|m|ftin|abbr=on}}{{cite web |title=UCI refuses exemption to Conor Dunne for TT position because of 6'8" height |website=Sticky Bottle |url=http://www.stickybottle.com/latest-news/uci-refuses-exemption-to-conor-dunne-for-tt-position-because-of-6-8-height/ |date=March 1, 2012 |access-date=March 20, 2017}}{{cite tweet|number=501841383377084417|title=I am 2.04m tall everyone. Which is equivalent to 82 chocolate smarties stacked on each other. I also am able to eat all the smarties.|author=Conor Dunne|user=conordunnealot|date=19 August 2014}}

| weight = 88 kg

| currentteam = Retired

| discipline = Road

| role = Rider

| ridertype = Rouleur

| amateuryears1 = 2009

| amateurteam1 = Hemel Hempstead CC{{cite news|url=https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/road/article/roa20090907-road-British-Time-Trial-Championship-Results-0|title=British Time Trial Championship Results|website=British Cycling|date=7 September 2009|accessdate=27 February 2023}}

| amateuryears2 = 2009–2010

| amateurteam2 = Glendene CC

| amateuryears3 = 2011–2012

| amateurteam3 = VL Technics–Abutriek

| amateuryears4 = 2013

| amateurteam4 = Iverk Carrick Wheelers

| proyears1 = 2014–2015

| proteam1 = {{UCI team code|SKT|2014}}

| proyears2 = 2016

| proteam2 = {{UCI team code|JLT|2016}}

| proyears3 = 2017–2018

| proteam3 = {{UCI team code|ABS|2017}}{{cite web |url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/nordhaug-brammeier-irvine-dunne-first-riders-named-for-aqua-blue-sport/ |title=Nordhaug, Brammeier, Irvine, Dunne first riders named for Aqua Blue Sport|date=19 December 2016 |website=cyclingnews.com|access-date=17 January 2017}}{{cite web|url=http://www.aquabluesport.com/blog/2018-team-first-races.html|title=2018 rider roster and first races confirmed|date=1 January 2018|accessdate=5 January 2018|work={{UCI team code|ABS|2018}}|publisher=Aqua Blue Sport Limited|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180105233644/http://www.aquabluesport.com/blog/2018-team-first-races.html|archive-date=5 January 2018|url-status = dead}}

| proyears4 = 2019

| proteam4 = {{UCI team code|ICA|2019}}{{cite news|url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/israel-cycling-academy-finalises-2019-roster-adds-sorensen-as-ds/|title=Israel Cycling Academy finalises 2019 roster, adds Sorensen as DS|work=Cyclingnews.com|publisher=Immediate Media Company|date=4 December 2018|accessdate=20 January 2019}}

| majorwins = One-day races and Classics

:{{nowrap|Irish National Road Race Championships (2018)}}

| medaltemplates =

| show-medals =

}}

Conor Dunne (born 22 January 1992) is a retired road racing cyclist who rode professionally between 2014 and 2019 for the {{UCI team code|SKT|2015}}, {{UCI team code|JLT|2016}}, {{UCI team code|ABS|2018}} and {{UCI team code|ICA|2019}} teams. He competed as British in his early career before switching to Ireland, and was the Irish National Road Race Championships winner in 2018. Dunne contested the road race at the UCI Road World Championships four times for Ireland, failing to finish the race on every occasion.

Career

=Junior and amateur career=

Born in St Albans, Dunne initially represented Great Britain and competed for amateur teams in the UK, Belgium and Ireland. He won the junior British National Time Trial Championships title in 2010,{{cite web | url=https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/nc-great-britain-itt-mj/2010/result | title=National Championships Great Britain MJ- ITT 2010 Time trial results }} after finishing second in the 2009 race. Dunne was also eligible to represent Ireland and switched his sporting allegiance prior to the 2011 season.

While still an amateur, in 2011 he participated in his first professional stage race at the Rás Tailteann.{{cite web | url=https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/fbd-insurance-ras/2011/gc | title=An Post Ras 2011 Stage 8 results }} In 2012 he won the Irish National Men's Under-23 Time Trial Championships, his first national victory as an Irish rider and one of seven career podium finishes at elite and under-23 Irish championship races. Dunne's first victory in a professional race came on stage one of the 2013 Rás Tailteann while riding for Irish amateur team Iverk Carrick Wheelers. He won the {{convert|135|km|abbr=off|adj=on}} stage from Dunboyne to Longford after outsprinting three-time New Zealand National Criterium champion Michael Northey to the line. After bonus seconds were applied, Dunne held the overall lead by four seconds and also led the points and youth classifications going into stage two.{{cite news|url=https://www.rte.ie/sport/cycling/2013/0519/451278-dunne-sprints-to-ras-yellow/|title=Dunne sprints to Rás yellow|work=RTÉ Sport|publisher=RTÉ|date=19 May 2013|accessdate=28 April 2025}}

=Professional career=

==An Post–Chain Reaction, JLT–Condor (2014–2016)==

File:Waver - Memorial Philippe Van Coningsloo, 8 juni 2014, vertrek (B087).JPG]]

He signed with {{UCI team code|SKT|2014}} for the 2014 season. He stayed with the team for 2015, recording a ninth-place finish at Dwars door de Vlaamse Ardennen before moving to fellow UCI Continental team {{UCI team code|JLT|2016}} for 2016. His first win as a full professional came at the Rutland–Melton CiCLE Classic in April 2016.{{cite web | url=https://www.stickybottle.com/races-results/dunne-takes-stunning-win-in-savage-rutland-melton-classic/ | title=Dunne takes huge win in savage Rutland-Melton classic | date=24 April 2016 }} In a race that was neutralised for twenty minutes while two riders were airlifted to hospital, Dunne overcame the cold and windy conditions to break clear from a ten-rider group in the closing stages and took victory by fourteen seconds.{{cite web | url=https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/racing/conor-dunne-wins-cicle-classic-2016-gallery-222285 | title=Conor Dunne wins CiCLE Classic 2016 (Gallery) | date=24 April 2016 }}

==Aqua Blue Sport (2017–2018)==

After moving to {{UCI team code|ABS|2017}} he was named in the startlist for the 2017 Vuelta a España.{{cite web | url=http://www.procyclingstats.com/race/Vuelta_a_Espana_2017_Startlist | title=2017 > 72nd Vuelta a España > Startlist | accessdate=17 August 2017| work= ProCyclingStats}} Dunne finished the race in 158th place, the last classified rider in the final standings.{{cite web | url=https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/vuelta-a-espana/2017/gc | title=Vuelta a España 2017 Stage 21 results }}

In 2018, Dunne won the Irish National Road Race Championships; racing over {{convert|180|km|abbr=off}} on a circuit around Collooney, he finished one minute and one second ahead of Darnell Moore in second and over three minutes clear of Mark Downey in third.{{cite web | url=https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/nc-ireland/2018/result | title=National Championships Ireland - Road Race 2018 One day race results }}{{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=diH_vW-Incc | title=Conor Dunne Wins the Irish National Champs 2018 | website=YouTube | date=2 July 2018 }} Reflecting on the race, Dunne said "It was massive for me. It’s a race I had been trying to win for a long time. It meant a lot to me and to my partner Stacey and her family too."{{cite web | url=https://www.stickybottle.com/latest-news/conor-dunne-cycling-career-interview/ | title=Conor Dunne: Early days in Belgium, Carrick-on-Suir, the future | date=15 February 2019 }} Stacey's father is Dunne's former team manager and Irish cycling legend Sean Kelly. Kelly won the Irish junior road race title twice, but never contested the senior national event.{{cite web | url=https://www.procyclingstats.com/rider/sean-kelly/ | title=Sean Kelly }}

==Israel Cycling Academy (2019)==

Following the collapse of Aqua Blue Sport, in November 2018 it emerged that Dunne would join the {{UCI team code|ICA|2019}} team for the 2019 season. His salary for the year was paid by former Aqua Blue owner Rick Delaney due to Dunne signing a contract with the team for 2019 before it folded.{{cite web |url=http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/rick-delaney-to-pay-dunnes-israel-cycling-academy-contract-in-2019/ |title=Rick Delaney to pay Dunne's Israel Cycling Academy contract in 2019|date=24 November 2018 |website=cyclingnews.com |access-date=26 December 2018}} He recorded a fifth-place overall finish at the Tour of Antalya that February.

In May 2019, he was named in the startlist for the 2019 Giro d'Italia.{{Cite web|url=https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/giro-d-italia/2019/startlist |title=2019: 102nd Giro d'Italia: Start List |accessdate=8 May 2019 |work=ProCyclingStats}} Wearing the Irish national champion's jersey, he completed the race in 135th place and finished 20th on stage twelve from Cuneo to Pinerolo, his highest placing in an individual Grand Tour stage.{{cite web | url=https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/giro-d-italia/2019/stage-12 | title=Giro d'Italia 2019 Stage 12 results }} Following the Giro d'Italia, Dunne finished ninth at the Fyen Rundt in August.

On 30 December 2019, at the age of 27, he announced on social media that he was retiring from professional cycling.{{cite news|url=https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/conor-dunne-retires-at-27/|title=Conor Dunne retires at 27|work=Cyclingnews.com|publisher=Future plc|date=1 January 2020|accessdate=2 January 2020}}

=Global Cycling Network (GCN)=

On 7 January 2020, Global Cycling Network (GCN) announced him as a new presenter.{{cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8I7Hx2POBVw|title=2020 Pro Cycling Kits - Hot Or Not? The GCN Show Ep.365|publisher=Global Cycling Network|via=YouTube}}

On 2 May 2020 GCN's YouTube channel released a video where Dunne turned his garden into a Velodrome to create a Garden Hour Cycling Distance record with help from his brother-in-law Nigel. The distance covered was {{convert|16.3|km|abbr=off}}, which was listed as a new record (as there was no existing record in place). His maximum speed was {{convert|24.3|km/h|abbr=off}}.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NO4RMqdynR4|title=We Built A Velodrome! GCN's Garden Hour Record|publisher=GCN|date=2 May 2020}}

Personal life

His sister is tennis player Katy Dunne.{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.ie/sport/other-sports/cycling/dunne-thrilled-to-make-grand-stand-as-aqua-blue-aim-to-make-waves-36040386.html|title=Dunne thrilled to make Grand stand as Aqua Blue aim to make waves|publisher=The Irish Independent|date=17 August 2017|accessdate=13 February 2018}}

Major results

File:2018 UCI ROAD WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS INNSBRUCK-TIROL - Men Elite Road Race (45071974511).jpg]]

Source:{{cite web|url=https://firstcycling.com/rider.php?r=16719|title=Conor Dunne|work=FirstCycling.com|publisher=FirstCycling AS|accessdate=27 February 2023}}

;2009

: 2nd Time trial, British National Junior Road Championships

;2010

: 1st 20px Time trial, British National Junior Road Championships

;2012

: 1st 20px Time trial, Irish National Under-23 Road Championships

;2013

: 1st Stage 1 An Post Rás

: Irish National Under-23 Road Championships

::2nd Time trial

::3rd Road race

;2014

: 3rd Road race, Irish National Under-23 Road Championships

;2015

: 3rd Road race, Irish National Road Championships

: 9th Dwars door de Vlaamse Ardennen

;2016

: 1st Rutland–Melton CiCLE Classic

;2017

: 3rd Road race, Irish National Road Championships

;2018

: 1st 20px Road race, Irish National Road Championships

;2019

: 5th Overall Tour of Antalya

: 9th Fyen Rundt

=Grand Tour general classification results timeline=

class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
scope="col" \| Grand Tour ! scope="col" \| 2017 ! scope="col" \| 2018 ! scope="col" \| 2019
style="text-align:center;" ! scope="row" \| File:Jersey pink.svg Giro d'Italia \|— \|— \|135
style="text-align:center;" ! scope="row" \| File:Jersey yellow.svg Tour de France \|— \|— \|—
style="text-align:center;" ! scope="row" \| File:Jersey red.svg Vuelta a España \|158 \|— \|—

class="wikitable plainrowheaders"

scope="col" | Grand Tour

! scope="col" | 2017

! scope="col" | 2018

! scope="col" | 2019

style="text-align:center;"

! scope="row" | File:Jersey pink.svg Giro d'Italia

|—

|135

style="text-align:center;"

! scope="row" | File:Jersey yellow.svg Tour de France

|—