Puy de Dôme buries Ben O'Connor's GC ambitions - "Sometimes things just don't go as planned"

After finishing on the podium of the Criterium du Dauphiné, Ben O'Connor geared up to fight for a strong result at the Tour de France, with full support from AG2R Citroën Team. However that goal is now over, as he cracked once again at Puy de Dôme.

"I've come back from worse situations. It is what it is, you have to stay optimistic. In the next two weeks I will aim for day success and race aggressively," O'Connor said in a post-race interview. The Australian struggled through the opening weekend, but had gotten himself a couple of good performances in the Pyrenees which would suggest his goal of a Top10 was still very much viable.

He took to the start of stage 9 in 11th place on the overall classification, but was dropped before the steep section of the Massif Central's most famous climb. He then shed many minutes, over 8 to Tadej Pogacar who was the first of the GC riders to cross the line. Descending from 11th to 18th in the GC, his goals of a strong result there have been ended, and the Australian will now focus on chasing a stage win in the remaining mountain stages.

“It's not over yet, it's just starting a different race for me now," he tells, motivated to get something out of this race. "It's what I originally got my fun out of, being an aggressive rider. Competing in the standings is always a dream, but sometimes things just don't go as planned.”