Aussie O'Connor tames 'cruel race' to win Tour de France stage

[ad_1] Australia's Ben O'Connor, who has lengthy thought of the Tour de France a relentless and unforgiving problem, roared again with a surprising stage 18 victory within the Alps to lastly bury reminiscences of the crashes he has suffered lately.

O'Connor, eyes blazing with dedication, launched a ferocious solo assault on the fearsome Col de la Loze and by no means appeared again.

"It is a fairly merciless race," O'Connor stated after crossing the road alone on the Col de la Loze.

"I've simply discovered myself on the deck within the first two days a number of occasions, however not likely for my very own fault. Stage one right here, it wasn't my fault. I used to be simply taken out.

"In Copenhagen [in 2022], similar factor: dash end, crash in entrance of me, nowhere to go. And you then had the crash in 2021.

"So the primary couple days actually have not handled me properly in any respect on this race earlier than."

O'Connor, who gained a stage to Tignes and completed fourth general in 2021, has battled to duplicate these highs.

"Getting it carried out at this time means loads to me," he stated.

"I am very happy with myself and really happy with the crew."

Ben O'Connor crossed the end line on his personal after launching a solo assault. ( Getty Photographs: Dario Belingheri )

O'Connor's win got here after a daring assault from the underside of the valley earlier than the ultimate climb, a plan he hatched along with his crew's sports activities director Matthew Hayman.

"He informed me, 'You've got bought nothing to lose,'" O'Connor stated.

"If you are going to win, you must go from the underside of the valley … and that is what occurred.

"On the Col de la Loze, it was fairly simple. You both had it otherwise you did not."

O'Connor switched from French squad AG2R Citroen to Australian outfit Jayco AlUla this season, a transfer he stated introduced a recent sense of belonging.

"It is about time I lastly bought a giant outcome on the board being an Aussie rider on an Aussie crew," he stated.

Requested whether or not the stage victory mattered greater than a top-10 end in Paris, O'Connor was emphatic.

"Sure, undoubtedly. Getting your arms up within the air is essentially the most gratifying factor," he stated.

"It is solely once you full a GC (normal classification) and you've got carried out an ideal race your self and also you're happy with each single day that you have tapped it out and you've got ticked the packing containers, then that offers you a special form of satisfaction."

Jonas Vingegaard's try to dethrone Tadej Pogačar on the high of the general standings imploded in spectacular vogue on the race's most brutal Alpine battleground.

Pogačar defended his crown with ice-cold precision, gaining 11 extra seconds on Vingegaard and stretching his general benefit to a commanding 4 minutes and 26 seconds after taking second place.