🩷 @giroditalia 2011: 🥉 John Gadret 💛 @LeTour 2014:🥈Jean-Christophe Peraud 2016:🥈Romain Bardet 2017: 🥉Romain Bardet ❤️ @lavuelta 2024: 🥈Ben O'Connor #DECATHLONAG2RLAMONDIALETEAM - © Getty
"I'm really very proud of what the team has done" - Decathlon AG2R sports director over the moon after Ben O'Connor's 2nd place at Vuelta
CyclingTuesday, 10 September 2024 at 05:30
Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale entered the Vuelta a Espana with all their best climbers, however the goal was not really clear... Perhaps a GC top-5 and some stage win. Nobody could have foreseen that Ben O'Connor nearly accidentally won the Spanish Grand Tour.
The Australian climber is no stranger with 4th places from the 2021 Tour de France as well as from this year's Giro d'Italia. It was still a major surprise when he took the red jersey on sixth stage with nearly 5-minute lead on the big favourite Primoz Roglic. The Slovenian eventually managed to nullify O'Connor's advantage. But nobody else. And thus the 28-year-old brings home a 2nd place from Vuelta a Espana.
"It's an exceptional result," the sports director Cyril Dessel beamed with happiness when speaking to Cyclism'Actu after the final time trial.
"We know how difficult it is to achieve a podium finish in a Grand Tour," said the former yellow jersey wearer. There was great density, great adversity in this Vuelta. Ben seized a great opportunity during the sixth stage, he performed a great performance that projected him into the race leader with a comfortable lead."
Dessel was not less proud of his team who threw away personal ambitions to assist O'Connor, who is leaving the team after this season, on his way to an unexpected success. "Then, the whole team was caught up in this dynamic of defending the red jersey. The boys were exemplary, courageous, full of self-sacrifice every day to defend this jersey body and soul and to put Ben in the best possible position so that he could fight with the favourites who attacked him constantly on very difficult courses."
"Each of the team members gave him, every day, the strength to push himself to the limit on each stage. Again today, Ben achieved a great time, this second place is entirely deserved. To make a podium on a Grand Tour, it's really fabulous. I'm really very proud of what the team has done, I have no words to describe what I feel."
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