Australian O’Connor storms to brilliant Tour stage win
|
Australia’s Ben O’Connor has expressed his pride after storming to a sensational victory on the gruelling 18th stage of the Tour de France.
Eyes blazing with determination, the 29-year-old launched a ferocious solo attack on the fearsome Col de la Loze and never looked back, thundering towards his second career Tour stage win, following his triumph in Tignes in 2021.
The Perth racer, riding for the Jayco AlUla team, picked his moment perfectly to go alone on the final 26.4-kilometre ascent, giving him the time to hold off the main General Classification group.
Slovenian Tadej Pogacar finished second in Thursday’s Alpine stage to retain the overall leader’s yellow jersey, stretching his advantage over chief rival Jonas Vingegaard, who came up third, by 11 seconds to 4:26.
O’Connor came to this Tour targeting the general classification but saw those hopes dashed by injuries sustained in a stage-one crash, and has had to recalibrate his ambitions to realise his second career Tour stage win, and first since 2021.
Now, following Thursday’s result, he has moved up to 10th in the overall GC rankings as the highest placed Aussie in the field.
“I felt much better today just from the start, O’Connor said.
“I was pretty active, and I think probably the point where you realise you could have a shot was the top of the (Col de la) Madeleine when Jonas and Pogi came across, and we’re still with them over the top of the summit.”
He added: (The Tour) is a rough race.
“It’s the biggest race in the world but for sure it’s the cruellest. I’ve wanted another victory for so many years now, I’ve had a lot of thirds and fourths, so close.
“It’s my second Tour de France stage win and to do it now with Team Jayco AlUla, it’s a very proud moment for me.
“I couldn’t be more proud of myself and the boys that have backed me every single day this whole race, even in the pretty rough times.”
Michael Storer (Tudor Pro) was the next Australian rider to finish in 15th place with Compatriot Harrison Sweeny (Easypost USA) placed 30th.
The penultimate mountain stage of this Tour was another opportunity for Vingegaard’s Visma-Lease A Bike team to try to isolate Pogacar, and they made their first big moves on the Madeleine.
Pogacar’s UAE Team Emirates-XRG lieutenants fell away but recovered before the climb up through Courcheval. Vingegaard tried a late attack but it was Pogacar who came over the top to edge closer to a fourth career Tour crown.
“Today was brutal,” Vingegaard said. “Five hours in the saddle. I’m not sure I’ve ever done such a hard stage in the Tour.”
Florian Lipowitz, sitting third overall in the best young rider’s white jersey, had tried to stretch his advantage with solo moves but he was caught by the main favourites with nine kilometres left to finish 11th.
Reuters
