"I’d love to do the Giro but I’m on a French team and the Tour is super important" - Ben O'Connor hoping for a change in 2024
Cycling
With preparation for the Tour de France having taken priority in Ben O'Connor's past three seasons, the 28-year-old Australian is keen to try his hand elsewhere in 2024.
“I would like to do a change," the two-time Grand Tour stage winner admits in conversation with Cycling News. "I’d love to do the Giro but I’m on a French team and the Tour is super important. I’m definitely going to do two Grand Tours next year, but I’m not sure which ones. I’d love to do the Giro again, that’s for sure, but the Tour is the Tour…”
Although he did take on the Vuelta a Espana in 2022 after being forced to abandon the Tour de France a few months earlier, the last time O'Connor rode the Giro d'Italia was back in 2020 whilst still riding in the colours of NTT Pro Cycling. With 2024 being his fourth season at Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team, O'Connor insists he's still more than capable of competing in the biggest races.
“You always think the grass is greener on the other side, but you also sign a contract and that’s where you are,” he says. “My team was really, really good coming into the Tour this year. I just didn’t perform and that was the shitty thing about it – I didn’t just let myself down, I let the whole team down.”
“I don’t go into races worried that I’m not good enough. I think I can perform with the best under pretty much any circumstance, except punchy technical courses," he concludes. "I’m not a worn-out stone. I still feel like I’m young enough, even in an age of very talented young guys, I don’t think I’m behind them. I kind of feel I’ve reached a level and I’m still only 28.”
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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- That 3000 extra that the Tour de France is built up in the flat stages
Rafionain-Glas04-11-2026 - maybe this is something else they can protest in the streets of France.mij04-11-2026
- his Roubaix win was amazing. not to take anything away from him - arguably one of MVDP's wins was at the expense of a WVA flat - but so many things need to line up to get one of these. He had a perfect race with fewer bike issues on an attritional course. And crazy strong as usual. Glad he got this done.mij04-11-2026
- Orts was a super smart signing with the new rules regarding cross and UCI pointsmij04-11-2026
- yeah... you're right...PogiSloFans04-11-2026
- Podcast sounds great. Two so called experts stating the f*cking obvious.wrsty04-11-2026
- A mindset that reminds me of Tim Declerq. I loved watching that guy just pound away the kilometers, hours at the front, holding an entire breakaway in check on his own. Bjerg seems like a similar guy. Curling, the team sport.RidesHills04-11-2026
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