“I don't think I've ever finished in the top ten of a time trial" - Ben O'Connor surprised but delighted by his Critérium du Dauphiné efforts
Cycling
A brilliant individual time-trial effort by AG2R Citroën Team's Ben O'Connor saw the Australian finish 5th on the stage and move up to 4th in the general classification.
“I've done good time trials before, but today was by far the best I've felt in a time trial. It doesn't surprise me that the result is good," said a delighted O'Connor in his post-stage interview. “I don't think I've ever finished in the top ten in a time trial. So if - as it looks now - I finish in the top five, then I'm very happy."
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The stage was eventually won by UAE Team Emirates' Mikkel Bjerg who also took the overall lead of the general classification. O'Connor though now sits just 29 seconds behind Jonas Vingegaard in the general classification, a good position with the biggest mountains of the race still to come.
“It was a matter of keeping a controlled pace and being as aerodynamic as possible in the valley. On the first climb you could certainly blow yourself up. It was therefore important that you then recovered well towards the next climb," O'Connor explains. "I'm lucky that where I come from, it's always a time trial like today. So the fact that the roads at home are among the worst to train on has an advantage."
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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🇫🇷 @dauphine Au classement général, @ben_oconnor95 est 4e 🔥 La fin de semaine va être intense ! In the GC, @ben_oconnor95 is 4th 🔥 It's going to be an intense weekend! #AG2RCITROËNTEAM #RoulonsAutrement #RideDifferently - © YP Medias
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