Focus for Ben O'Connor firmly on the Giro d'Italia after winning start to the season: "That's the priority for the moment"

Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team's Ben O'Connor got off to the perfect start to the season on Saturday in Spain, taking his first victory for the team at the Vuelta Ciclista a la Region de Murcia.

"Ben was delighted by this victory in Murcia, it was important both him and for the team, he's our leader," the team's sports director, Didier Jannel told Cycling News. "For a rider who's won a big stage in the Tour and finished at the foot of the final podium, it was important for him to get off to a great start. It wasn't an easy win, the field was a very deep one there, and as a confidence-building exercise for him and the team, this kind of victory is really ideal."

After targeting the Tour de France for the last three years, even coming fourth in 2021, O'Connor is set to return to the Giro d'Italia this year, a race he has also had prior success. "His focus is on the Giro d'Italia for now. That's the priority for the moment," Jannel explains. "The Giro is a course he loves, where he's already won a stage, and there's the UAE Tour, another good test for him before Tirreno, then the Tour of the Alps and the Giro."

Post-Giro though, it's still yet to be decided when and where the 28-year-old Australian will be in action. "The rest of the season is still to be discussed," Jannel added. "We're opting on keeping our focus on the races we know he's going to do up to May, and then we'll see."

Next up for O'Connor is the UAE Tour, starting on the 19th of February. "The course is very much the kind he likes, some serious mountain stages and also a time trial," Jannel concludes. "The wind is always a massive factor in UAE as well, but Ben is really good at getting in the mix when it comes to moving around in the peloton, too. So, we are really hopeful he will be able to come up with a great overall performance there."