Ben O'Connor describes frantic day on the job: "This day had everything, it was non-stop racing"
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Follow us on GoogleOn Saturday afternoon, Ben O'Connor won the tough and spectacular Vuelta a Murcia. The Australian climber (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale) pulled a bold move early in the race, broke away from the lead group with Tim Wellens, and finished solo in the streets of Murcia. After crossing the finish line with a minute's lead, O'Connor had a smile from ear to ear.
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"This is really the perfect start to the season," he said in the flash interview. "This day had everything, actually. It was very windy. It all started on the climb halfway through the race. It worked out perfectly for me. I am very proud to win this first race of the year. I felt great."
O'Connor deliberately jumped along with Kuss: "It was non-stop racing"
O'Connor took off on the long climb of Bermejo, which had to be tackled in the first half of the course. "Visma | Lease a Bike set a high pace there, and then Sepp (Kuss, ed.) took off. I followed him with Wellens, Martinez and Cepeda. We already had a guy in the front, and another teammate jumped along with us. It was non-stop racing all day. The wind was crazy, and we managed to stay ahead of the peloton for a long time."
Due to the wind and the high pace, the leaders were forced to stay alert throughout the race. "There wasn't a single moment we could relax. Towards the end, Wellens did not want to ride with me. I felt the fatigue and tried to pace myself as well as possible. I am so happy it worked out. It's cool that I won my first race here, can go home to rest, and then gear up for my next race." O'Connor will soon be seen in the UAE Tour after his lightning start.
Bram van der PloegEditor-in-chief
Bram van der Ploeg (35) is the proud founder of In de Leiderstrui, IDL Pro Cycling's parent site, launched in 2018. Finally, he could create stories about the sport he had followed since childhood. He is the editor-in-chief on paper, but prefers to be with his recorder next to a rider, a team bus, or in the mud at a cyclocross race. Every year, from February to the end of May, Bram follows the entire Italian cycling season, from the Trofeo Laigueglia to the Giro d'Italia, with the grand finale in October in Lombardy. During that time, he lives in Tuscany, where he has since come to call Italy his 'home'.
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Latest Comments
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