Ronan
Dunne
Ireland
·
MTB
Date of birth | March 1, 2002 |
|---|---|
Birthplace | Ballyorney, County Wicklow |
Age | 23 |
Nationality | Ireland |
Career start | 2021 |
Disciplines | Mountainbike Downhill |
Ronan Dunne's rise from part-time farmer and privateer racer to becoming a Red Bull Hardline and UCI Mountain Bike Cup winner in the space of a couple of years is nothing short of sensational. It's why the young Irishman is recognised as one of the most exciting talents in the downhill racing scene today – and one of the most entertaining.
A self-confessed country boy who got his first two-wheeled experience in the sedate world of motorcycle trials, the desire for a bit more speed as a teen led Ronan to downhill. A friend lent him a bike to try and from that moment on he was hooked.
From there, things progressed quickly. Very quickly. Cutting his teeth on the popular Irish scene, Ronan raced only a handful of Junior World Cup events – his very first races outside of Ireland – before making the jump to the Elite class in 2021.
Very much a privateer racer who worked on the family farm between races, Ronan really turned heads during that 2021 World Cup season. A number of top 30 finishes and season-high 17th in Les Gets, France – not to mention an incredibly entertaining all-in riding style – marked him out as one to watch.
From there, the strong finishes came thick and fast, culminating in a first-ever World Cup podium finish in Snowshoe, USA, during 2023's penultimate race, where Ronan finished second behind compatriot Oisin O'Callaghan on a historic day for Irish downhill.
After doing all this a privateer, factory teams came knocking at Ronan's door, with the respected Mondraker factory snapping him up for the 2024 season and beyond.
With the ability to focus fully on racing, Ronan has already proven to be a savvy signing. Kicking off his season with a brilliant win at the debut Red Bull Hardline Australia race in Tasmania, it took him just two World Cup races to claim his first-ever victory with a sensational performance in Bielsko-Biała, Poland. He followed that the next weekend with a second brilliant Red Bull Hardline win, this time in Wales at the 10th anniversary edition. Now, he's a legit contender at any race where he lines up.
And he's just getting started. With years of racing ahead of him, Ronan is already well on his way to becoming Ireland's greatest-ever racer.