"Having the Red Jersey has renewed his confidence" - Philippa York impressed by Ben O'Connor continued fight despite repeated time losses at La Vuelta 2024

Despite garnering a major advantage in the general classification following his breakaway raid on stage 6, many expected Ben O'Connor to be out of the Red Jersey by now. At the second rest day however, the Australian still holds more than a minute of lead at the 2024 Vuelta a Espana.

"Everyone expected Primoz Roglic would crack the Decathlon-AG2R leader and that the podium contenders such as Enric Mas and Mikel Landa would make sure he never came back to worry them," reflects two time Vuelta a Espana runner up, Philippa York, in her column for Cycling News. "How wrong we were and it has been great it’s been to see why."

"O’Connor continued to lose time during the second week but didn't panic and didn’t crack. Even so, every pundit, expert and armchair spectator, me included, thought O’Connor would be back wearing his normal team kit on the second rest day," York continues, praising O'Connor for his battling capabilities even after being dropped. "Oh how wrong we all were and the humble pie now being served still has some topping."

Now just a week from a career-affirming first Grand Tour win, O'Connor is still just over a minute clear of Primoz Roglic. If the Slovenian can continue to chip away at the time gap as he has been however, it is set to be a thrilling battle all the way up until Madrid. "It’s not just us armchair spectators who underestimated how hard it is going to be to take back each second from the red jersey. Roglic is now at a minute and still the overall favourite but for Mas, Carapaz and Landa the task of making the podium looks far harder," York stresses.

"O’Connor time in the red jersey has changed his outlook on life and the race. Gone is the slightly embarrassed demeanour that he showed on the first few visits to the stage finish podium and the protocols that ensue. Having the red jersey has renewed his confidence, he’s relaxed and enjoying his success," she adds. "Obviously he is under pressure but it hasn’t buried him in the way it has done several times since he finished fourth at the 2021 Tour de France. There is more acceptance and understanding of his own ability and I think he realises that as long as he stays within his own limits then a place in the top three is possible. O’Connor has the red jersey and so it is up to his rivals to decide how and when is best to try to distance him."

So what of O'Connor's rivals? "Roglic and Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe could potentially wait until the final Madrid time trial. Mas and Landa are going to have to try something before then, especially if they hope to hurt Roglic too," York muses. "EF Education-EasyPost and Richard Carapaz don’t have the same resources as Movistar and Soudal-QuickStep and so will have to be even more creative and even more aggressive."

"With his previous Lagos de Covadonga knowledge. Roglic should take back more time on Tuesday and perhaps finally the race lead. That would be his ideal scenario. He could then settle into a more defensive race with two mountain top finishes remaining," York concludes. "That’s the expected script, but let's see how O’Connor sees his leading role on the big stage."