“Get on with it” – Ben O’Connor shaken but not broken after stage 1 crash

Stage 1 of the Tour de France brought early drama for Team Jayco AlUla and GC hopeful Ben O’Connor. Caught in a late crash inside the safe zone, O’Connor went over the handlebars but fortunately avoided losing any time. Speaking to a group of reporters including CyclingUpToDate at the start of Stage 2, he admitted the aftermath was still lingering.

“Yeah, a bit sore, shoulder’s pretty rough,” O’Connor said. “But it’s OK, I’m just moving and just to feel a bit sorry for myself, but a few moments I think later today.”

O’Connor was part of the elite front split that gained time on several rivals. That made the crash even more frustrating.

“It’s a bad thing. It’s just like you’re in a small group, think you’ve avoided everything, you got through it all and then just one guy lays it down in front of you,” he said. “I mean, what are the chances.”

Despite the physical toll, he acknowledged the emotional reset is just as critical.

“Yeah, you have to pick yourself up off the deck, I guess, emotionally, don’t you,” he said. “And I suppose you rely on guys like Turbo and other teammates to… you just gotta go, OK, get on with it.”

O’Connor is aiming to keep the crash from becoming a distraction.

“In the end, once again, I have that little 40-second gain more or less, so that’s a positive thing,” he said. “So just go on today, try and forget about the little bruises and bangs and just get done.”

Jayco DS Matthew Hayman backed the Aussie’s performance and lamented the crash.

“You see the footage there, he’s trying to stay out of trouble at that point, 5K to go, nothing to win. Minding his own business and ends up on the ground,” Hayman said. “So disappointing, but 40 seconds, take that. He put himself in the right position for a lot of the day.”

Looking ahead, Hayman predicted more nerves and treacherous roads.

“Yeah, look, it’s gonna be nervous again,” he said. “A lot more headwind today, but of course wet roads are quite treacherous… and expecting a pretty fiery last (30K).”