Eddie Dunbar has been around long enough to know how professional cycling can be a brutally unforgiving business.
Now 29, the Corkman won two stages at the 2024 Vuelta a' Espana, and was seventh overall at the 2023 Giro d'Italia.
The good days are hard earned; the bad days can sucker-punch you at any time.
Last July, having started well in his debut Tour de France by finishing fourth on the sixth stage (which was won by compatriot Ben Healy), disaster struck: Dunbar came down in a crash with less than six kilometres to go in the seventh stage. A wrist injury ended his Tour.
Dunbar has since moved on from Jayco AlUla to Swiss team Q36.5 Procycling on a two-year contract. Driven by past disappointments, he's looking towards 2026 with excitement and optimism.
"That was a difficult moment, not being able to continue in a race like that," he told RTÉ Sport's Eamon Horan. "Especially the day before, obviously Ben won that stage, I was in the breakaway and finished fourth.
"I knew that my condition was pretty good and I'd definitely get another opportunity to try and win a stage, which was always the aim before the Tour. It was just cut too short, unfortunately. That was a bitter one to swallow."
"You always hear people on about the level being higher for the Tour. It's different to the Giro, it's different to the Vuelta."
And the lesson learned?
"Don't hit my brakes so hard!" Dunbar laughed. "It was just strange because everything's going well. Before the start of the Tour, I knew I was in really good condition, like you should be before the Tour de France.
"You always hear people on about the level being higher for the Tour. It's different to the Giro, it's different to the Vuelta.
"It's bigger, you know. That first stage there in Lille, there were crowds like three or four deep for 180km, which was, it was mad. And then the speed was different, the level was different. A stage win in the Tour could change your life, it's career-changing."
Healy's exploits on the Tour dominated the headlines here, his remarkable performance capturing the country. It was a throwback to the glory days of Sean Kelly and Stephen Roche, feeding a sense that Irish cycling is in rude health.
"Even this year at the Worlds, we had six riders qualified," said Dunbar.
"Seven or eight years ago, we might have three riders qualified for the elite Worlds.
"And there's a lot of young riders coming up as well. Like in the Euros this year, I think there were three medals. Two guys medalled in the juniors, one in the under 23. Then of course, Ben (Healy) with the (World Championship road race) bronze medal in Rwanda... we've never had a year like that in Cycling Ireland."
The inherrent dangers of the sport were brought into focus back in September when the last stage of the Vuelta a Espana was ended prematurely due to pro-Palestinian protesters causing disruption at the finish in Bilbao.
Dunbar is supportive of protesters' right to gather, but admitted conditions became perilously tough.
"After a few days, the protest started to get a little bit out of hand," he said. "Everyone has the right to protest for sure, but it just got a bit more dangerous for us. When you're doing 60km an hour on a bike, and there's guys jumping out in the road and you don't know when they're going to jump out, that's when it was the scary.
"I must say there were plenty of peaceful protests as well, people with the Palestinian flags out, which was fine. There was just a few... it got a bit hostile in the Vuelta and it was a bit scary actually."
Dunbar has serious ambitions next year. He's got the ability to make a major impact on the biggest stages, and has enough self confidence to set himself a high bar.
"I think the Giro was mentioned at the team camp," he added. "I did well there two years ago and yeah, I reckon I'd be going back there and might get an opportunity to lead the team and see if I can go better than seventh place.
"Then obviously the Tour. Every rider wants to do the Tour so if that opportunity comes up, we have a great leader in Tom Pidcock. It'd be nice to go there and support him and see what result we can get.
"I still have this thing in my head about Grand Tours. I love the three-week races, the endurance side of it, a lot of suffering. Them races seem to suit me a lot more.
"I think the Giro will be the first goal. And then if I can obviously do the tour, that'll be massive as well."
