“Second only to the Tour de France” – Why Ben O’Connor is putting everything into Tour Down Under
Cycling
For Ben O’Connor, the Tour Down Under is no longer a gentle way to ease into a season. It is a target in its own right, one that now sits just below the Tour de France in his personal hierarchy.
Speaking in a recent interview with Cyclism’Actu, O’Connor made his position clear. “For Team Jayco AlUla, I think the Santos Tour Down Under is the second most important race of the year after the Tour de France.”
That is not the language of a rider turning up for training miles. It is the language of someone arriving to compete.
After several seasons riding the race with different teams, 2026 will be his first Tour Down Under with Jayco AlUla, the team of his home country. He last rode the event three years ago, when he finished sixth overall and third on the queen stage. This time, the ambition is sharper.
“We’ve put our best eggs in one basket,” he said. The message is simple. Jayco are not spreading their hopes thin. They are committing heavily to winning their home WorldTour race.
A race that no longer behaves like a warm up
The 2026 Tour Down Under is built to punish riders who arrive undercooked. A short opening prologue will create early time gaps, and stages built around Corkscrew Road and Willunga Hill are expected to decide the general classification.
O’Connor already has one stage marked in red. “Stage two will be important with the two climbs of Corkscrew. It’s shaping up to be a very exciting stage and it could change the usual dynamic of this race.”
That is exactly what the organisers appear to be chasing. Recent editions have steadily moved away from being sprinter-friendly processions. Rolling terrain, repeated climbs and technical finishes now reward riders who are sharp from day one.
For O’Connor, that means being ready to fight immediately. “Whether I finish on the podium, fourth or fifth, or tenth… as long as I’m up there fighting with the riders who are trying to win the race, that’s what matters.”
Home roads, personal goals
There is also something more personal driving him. Racing in Australia is not just about team plans or early-season form.
“Just winning a stage here in Australia is on the list of things I want to achieve in my career.” It is a simple line, but it carries weight. Not every rider gets to chase big results on home roads in a WorldTour race that opens the global season.
The 2026 Tour Down Under will feature a deep field, with major teams bringing GC leaders, sprinters and new signings. The heat, the short, sharp climbs and the early season uncertainty always create chaos.
Calling it “second only to the Tour de France” is not hype. It is a statement of intent. For O’Connor and for Jayco AlUla, January in Australia is no longer about easing in. It is about going all in.
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.
claps 0visitors 0
Just in
Popular news
Latest comments
- i am sure that under the pretext of medical examination a lot worse has happened when they were under.abstractengineer02-11-2026
- dude, Lemond never even was in the same race as Armstrong. He throws all these aspersions on other American riders who might usurp his throne as the greatest ever American racer. He doesn't say a single thing about (foreign) dopers who he actually raced against. Biggest douchebag move ever. I used to revere that guy, now I despise him. His actions are so weird.fatsupermodel02-11-2026
- This is just stupid, You do what you are good at not what you are weak at. He has no results to speak of when he participated. Even Froome, Conatdor had very little. With Pogi there he wont win none of the classics. he is already 30+ with a few years left at the top. It takes years to get good at classics. Is that really worth the effort???abstractengineer02-11-2026
- Sure, little fella.awp02-11-2026
- You'll be the ongoing joke of 2027 with anything you post here!frieders302-11-2026
- Awwww your inside information must be from PogiFanGirl. You two daughters of different mothers?frieders302-11-2026
- Hey PogIFanGirl...wipe that cream from your lips! You're ever loving drooling and whatever you have for Tadej has your brain fried!frieders302-11-2026
- Why should he 'let it go' ! Because you said so? Anytime LA Doper is called out is a win win !frieders302-11-2026
- Geez LeMond...let it go. You're a has been, albeit a former great one. But this is all water under the bridge and just undermines your legacy further.Mshark01-11-2026
- 'The Slovenian has collected four Tour de France titles' ... '[Kieran Wood's] ... 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'. i would say that is pretty inaccurate accurate coverage, kieran wood ... too bad that AI's knowledge often lags several months behind ... but proof reading is certainly part of accurate coverage, isn't it? but fortunately does Kieran Wood place 'strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.' i would say the fifth tdf title is pretty new (and even verified) information, so feel free to update this article.Ketterechts01-11-2026
Loading
Write a comment