"I've really struggled and thought that I could lose everything" - Oscar Onley reflects on rollercoaster Vuelta as he looks forward forward to final week
CyclingMonday, 07 September 2026 at 19:00
Oscar onley is taking the Vuelta a Espana in his stride, even if it's done its best to knock him down a peg over the course of the first two weeks. With just six stages to go, the Netcompany INEOS rider finds himself in fifth place in the general classification.
The British rider wears the white jersey but has seen his deficit to leader Enric Mas increase over the past week as the heat bites and he rises to the occasion of his first Grand Tour of the season.
A solid final week would mark a second Grand Tour top five in as many seasons, but he faces opposition in the form of 20-year-old Slovenian Jakob Omrzel - who surged up the top ten with a breakaway victory on stage 12.
"I think it's been a bit of an up and down race. I’ve had a couple of setbacks, which is normal in a Grand Tour I think," Onley said on the team's website.
"I'm just focussing on trying to get back to the level that I've had on the previous days in the first week, and I’m in an okay position, but I want more out of the race, and I'm hoping to get more out of it."
Oscar Onley at the 2026 Vuelta a Espana
Soaring temperatures affect riders
Temperatures of over 40 degrees have scorched the peloton and caused stage 15 to be shortened, but although he's not enjoying the heat, he hasn't felt overburdened by it.
"I enjoy the heat, but I would say this is a different heat to the one I enjoy! It's something I've not had, other than maybe Tour Down Under, I’ve not really experienced something this hot before, but I've not had any problems with it so far.
"I think the team with the staff and the methods and the protocols they have in place to keep us as cool as possible have been really good and I think over the three weeks it makes a big difference."
Looking at stage 18's time trial, Onley hopes INEOS' investment and pedigree in the event can help give him an edge, but sees it as a true test of each rider's ability given its 32-kilometer length.
"I think this one's more of a true test, I would say. Obviously, the one in Monaco was quite specialised with all the technical aspects, and the focus for me there was really just to get through it and take no risks.
"Whereas this one, it’s more on legs and how aero you are, and so I'm hoping that the package the team have for the TTs can help me."
A final week is sure to provide fierce battles across the board. Monitoring the breakaway, and in particular Omrzel is high on his to-do list on a daily basis. The Slovenian sits just 30 seconds behind him and 6th in GC as well as 2nd in the young rider's classification.
Onley reflects on first Grand Tour with Visma
Reflecting on his first Grand Tour with INEOS, Onley feels plenty of differences than during his 4th place at last year's Tour de France but finds strength in his perserverence this time around as he grows into the race.
"Obviously, you never want to give anyone any time in breakaways, but that's just how it happens sometimes. To be honest, I don't know [Jakob] Omrzel that well but I'm learning about him quite quickly, particularly in the last few days.
"I think it's going to be quite close between us in this last week. I think that's also another nice battle to have, but ultimately, it's just for the best position on GC rather than the white jersey."
He added: "This Grand Tour has been quite different to the Tour [de France] I experienced last year. Looking back, last year was too easy almost with no setbacks! But I think everyone has setbacks during a Grand Tour and I think the way I and the team have dealt with that has been really good.
"There really has been some days that I've really struggled and thought that I could lose everything, so to still be sitting fifth on GC is something quite positive. I'm just hoping for a clean, smooth last week, and physically, I'm starting to feel more like myself again, and I'm not too tired at this point."
Gavin QuinnCycling Journalist
Gavin Quinn is a cycling journalist and ultra-distance cyclist with a BA in Journalism from Dublin City University. Formerly the Press & Communications Officer for Cycling Ireland, Gavin has worked inside the national team at the World Championships and has reported for the Irish Mirror, Mirror UK, and The42.
His expertise is backed by elite-level access, having interviewed stars like Sam Bennett and Ben Healy, as well as immense personal endurance. In 2025, he completed a 12,000km solo cycle from Ireland to Vietnam, following a 4,600km tour across Europe. From the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix to the gradients of the Tourmalet, Gavin’s writing focuses on the "romance and brutality" of the sport. Having visited 50+ countries, he brings a global, cultural perspective to his coverage of the pro peloton for CyclingUpToDate.
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