So as to add insult to inconvenience, Ben O’Connor had lastly descended Lagos de Covadonga for the second time on Tuesday night when he realized that he had been fined 1000CHF and docked 20 UCI factors for his troubles after stage 16 of the Vuelta a España.
The cost – “failing to attend official ceremonies or failing to respect the 10-minute deadline after the rider crosses the end line” – felt somewhat like over-zealous officialdom manifest. A minimum of a few of the accountability absolutely lay with the race organisation, who did not have a chaperone available to marshal O’Connor from the end line to the rostrum just a few hundred metres beneath the summit.
Irrespective of, O’Connor bore the ordeal with good grace when he arrived within the blended zone in Arnuero earlier than the beginning of stage 17, making gentle of the couple of hours he misplaced to descending Lagos de Covadonga after which getting a police escort again up once more.
“The bathe was a bit late, however I truly arrived on the lodge similtaneously the boys, so it wasn’t the worst,” O’Connor smiled, although he confessed to being a bit of vexed by the sanction handed down. “It isn’t like I intentionally skipped it or selected to overlook it. I nonetheless got here again up. However they deal it out as they do, so I can not actually say anything about it, to be honest.”
O’Connor’s athletic efficiency on Lagos de Covadonga was, just like the rider himself after the stage, considerably misplaced in all that fog, however he did sufficient on the Vuelta’s sacred mountain to carry onto the crimson jersey by 5 seconds from Primož Roglič (Crimson Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe).
“Yeah, however I would undoubtedly have appreciated extra seconds,” O’Connor mentioned. “It’s kind of of a disgrace as a result of, in the long run, I feel I did not try this dangerous of a journey on Covadonga. In the long run, I simply assume everybody in entrance did some superb driving.”
Regardless of a slender lead and miserably moist circumstances, O’Connor’s maillot rojo was by no means below any actual risk on the highway to Santander on stage 17. The Australian reached the end safely in the primary peloton, although he was with out the companies of his typical bodyguard in conditions like this, Sander De Pastel.
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“Sadly, he needed to depart the race this morning, so it was a little bit of a disgrace to overlook him on days like right now,” O’Connor mentioned within the press convention truck in Santander. “As we speak we had Clément Berthet and Valentin Paret-Peintre on the entrance, however I feel Clément had a motorbike downside on the end, so in the long run I used to be sort of floating via the wheels.”
Worlds
The tight margins however, O’Connor can be favoured to make one other journey to the rostrum in Maestu after stage 18, however he is aware of this race can be in the end determined by the summit finishes on the Alto de Moncalvillo and Picón Blanco, in addition to the ultimate time trial in Madrid.
“I’ll carry on going like I’ve achieved this entire race,” O’Connor mentioned of his strategy from right here. “With grit, dedication and sort of grovelling via, I’ve saved this jersey so long as I can, and hopefully it might probably keep on my shoulders for just a few extra days.”
O’Connor confirmed on Wednesday night that the Vuelta could be his remaining race with Decathlon-AG2R earlier than his transfer to Jayco-Alula. His solely remaining competitors in 2024 would come on the UCI Street World Championships in Zurich, the place he plans to journey the highway race, time trial and blended relay. “To tug the season out to October could be like placing a knife in me a bit of bit,” he smiled.
Even with out that imminent switch, it is onerous to shake off the sense that O’Connor’s Vuelta efficiency marks a defining second in his profession. He already demonstrated his aptitude for three-week racing with fourth-place finishes on the Tour de France and Giro d’Italia, however this Vuelta, nevertheless it performs out from right here, has the texture of a turning level.
“Possibly it’s defining, due to the size I’ve had the jersey, which is tremendous particular,” O’Connor mentioned. “Having this chief’s jersey and having the ability to maintain it for such a very long time is a really particular factor. You actually solely have that shot when you can win the race.
“And hopefully I can discover myself in that place sooner or later, combating to win Grand Excursions. I have been near the rostrum in Grand Excursions earlier than, however I’ve by no means had the possibility to put on a jersey. So I assume you’re proper, it is a particular second for me.”
With Roglič and Enric Mas closing in, nevertheless, it stays to be seen fairly how particular the second will show to be. Not for the primary time this week, O’Connor was requested to charge his prospects of defending the crimson jersey all the way in which to Madrid. “I imply, I would say most likely low,” he mentioned. “However you by no means know with biking.”
