For {most professional} cyclists, together with Ben O’Connor, the Tour de France is the head of racing. It is an important occasion on the calendar, with essentially the most consideration, the best accolades, the largest crowds and all of the stress to match it. However in 2024, it is not the place the Australian is hoping to succeed.
After two “common” years on the French Grand Tour, as he describes them, the place crashes, sickness, and a run of dangerous luck noticed him not match his pre-Tour efficiency stage, it is no shock to see the Australian search for a change.
In December he instructed Cyclingnews that he would “like to do the Giro” however understood an expectation to race the Tour de France comes with driving on a French WorldTour crew. Their finest riders usually need to trip the Tour – which is a blessing itself – however O’Connor’s request was revered by the crew and it is Italy in Might the place his ambitions lie.
“It was me and the crew selecting collectively. Clearly, the Tour is a big factor for this crew, however I’ve loved taking that probability to strive one thing new,” stated O’Connor to Cyclingnews forward of the UAE Tour.
“I am glad the crew was eager on the concept as I feel it was about time to alter my Grand Tour plans. Generally the same-same would not all the time work out and It is a Giro that fits me, so I can solely simply be excited.”
Sickness on the 2023 Tour de France noticed him removed from his finest and his GC bid ended virtually as quickly because it began. The yr earlier than it was a torn glute muscle that ruined his capacity to match his fourth-place total and stage-winning kind from his debut on the Tour de France.
“It is not likely on my record of wished choices,” stated O’Connor from Abu Dhabi.
“To be sincere, I would not thoughts specializing in different issues. But when I needed to do the tour, it isn’t a foul factor. It is nonetheless the largest, most spectacular race generally and essentially the most well-known – it is all the time a fairly loopy expertise.
“I simply really feel just like the final two years have been fairly common. Nicely, final yr was each good and dangerous. I feel I would not thoughts simply separating myself from that and doing one thing else.”
The Giro d’Italia is the one thing else O’Connor is taking over in 2024. He’s returning to the race for the primary time since 2020 the place he took his maiden Grand Tour victory atop Madonna di Campiglio whereas driving for NTT – a win which secured his transfer to AG2R La Mondiale later that yr.
“For that win, it was about reduction after a fairly common two years,” O’Connor stated.
“2019 was horrible and in 2020 I did truly win initially of the yr and confirmed that I used to be good, however the remainder of the yr was tremendous common and I actually struggled to search out myself. In order that was tremendous emotional for me.”
Additionally at the back of his thoughts wasn’t unfinished enterprise with the Giro as such, however a sense that his palmarès had been lacking one thing from the Italian Grand Tour the place he “threw away” an virtually sure prime ten end on debut through the nineteenth stage.
“In 2018 I crashed out once I was on GC and that damage, that was actually disappointing, as a result of I feel it is an easy prime 10 I simply threw away needlessly,” he stated.
“It was gonna be my first Grand Tour, my first prime 10 and to blow that chance on stage frickin 19, that was that was a bit unhappy. It is not prefer it’s unfinished enterprise, nevertheless it’s a race the place I really feel like I’ve missed in my profession pathway to date to profit from.”
It will not be a simple feat to problem for the general with Tadej Pogačar (UAE Workforce Emirates) making an attempt to finish the Giro-Tour double for the primary time since Marco Pantani within the 90s, however O’Connor is not targeted on the famous person Slovenian, solely his personal marketing campaign.
“He [Pogačar] is among the finest race racers and riders on the planet. So to get your foot in entrance of him is fairly tough, however in the long run, I do not actually care. You need to have a look at your individual race and your individual efficiency and what you might be truly bodily able to.
“You need to give attention to issues which can be inside your management and attempt to execute that. As a result of if you happen to go searching an excessive amount of, then perhaps you could be a little bit caught up – on who’s there.”
For O’Connor, that street to the Giro begins at Monday’s UAE Tour the place he’ll problem the likes of Adam Yates (UAE Workforce Emirates) and Pello Bilbao (Bahrain Victorious) for the general. The Australian fancies his possibilities however is aware of any uncostly errors within the uncovered desert echelons may very well be his undoing.
“I obtained to ensure that I am good within the wind. The time trial is fairly easy to do your self and organise,” O’Connor stated.
“The climbs deal with themselves and they’re all about managing – whether or not it is the warmth, or simply managing your teammates so that you simply’re in place on the proper second for when every thing hits the fan. Whereas in crosswinds you actually can lose might lose this race, for me that is essentially the most essential level for this race.”
O’Connor is making his debut on the UAE Tour the place Yates enters because the heavy favorite having gained the general in 2020 and been the perfect rider on the decisive climb – Jebel Hafeet – on a number of events. On the Australian’s facet is his flying begin to the season from the Vuelta a Murcia the place he took solo victory and Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale’s first win in 2024.
“It was confidence constructing, it isn’t affirmation or something however I feel it is simply a great way to begin. It form of places you at this level the place you possibly can see that every thing has labored out,” he stated.
“All of the planning, the coaching camp – you see direct outcomes instantly and that is most likely one of the vital pleasant issues to know, that the preliminary plan and organisation has labored.”
