Eddie Dunbar now has Grand ambitions after team switch to Team Jayco AlUla

It's the end of the road at INEOS-Grenadiers for Ireland’s Eddie Dunbar as he moves onto pastures new after four full seasons at cycling’s most illustrious team.

The 26-year-old Corkman will officially join the Australian-registered Team Jayco AlUla on 1 January, having put pen to paper on a three-year deal back in August.

Bittersweet is the one-word synopsis of his time at INEOS (formerly Team Sky); incredible highs and crushing lows, scintillating performances and prolonged stretches of injury, and non-selection.

"It was a brilliant four years, I learnt a lot from the best riders in the world and when I joined, they were the best team in the world. I made some really good friends who I´ll stay in touch with and meet whenever I can.

"The staff were really good too, really nice to be around, so I'll definitely miss them," he said this week after landing back in Cork for Christmas.

"There were some highlights with getting to do my first Grand Tour at the Giro (Giro d´Italia) in 2019, the Tour de Suisse last year was good and winning two stage races as well this year made it a great year for me."

Indeed, between mid-April and mid-May, Dunbar notched up two memorable wins - his first since he turned pro. First at the five-day Settimana Internazionale Coppi e Bartali in Italy, followed by another five-day contest, the Tour of Hungary. Not Grand Tours or marquee races, but significant victories nonetheless.

With his contract due for renewal at the end of 2022, it was the perfect time to remind potential suitors of his talent.

Several showed an interest, but the one team that has always tracked him since he came out of the under-23 ranks was Team Jayco AlUla.

Though not as high-profile as INEOS-Grenadiers - and with a fraction of their