Gambler O'Connor ready to take risks at Tour de France
The 29-year-old will make Australian cycling history when the Tour starts on Saturday night (AEST) at Lille in north-east France.
For the first time since Jayco AlUla was formed in 2012, the only Australian team to contest the Tour will feature an Australian overall contender.
O'Connor has finished in the top four at the three-week Grand Tours - the Tour de France, the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a Espana.
He is the top Australian GC (general classification) hope at this year's Tour de France. His wealth of experience and results gives O'Connor confidence that he can achieve another big result at the sport's most famous race.
Slovenian Tadej Pogacar, the defending champion, and Dane Jonas Vingegaard have won the last five Tours between them. The consensus is that this year's title will be another duel between them.
But whatever happens, O'Connor will not die wondering.
"It's so often the case ... you do have to be astute and there are many chances," he told AAP.
"You play a little bit with fire and you also have to gamble, but that risk has paid off on occasion for me.
"It has to be weighted, so you're well aware you're not absolutely blowing your chance, you know?"
A good case in point was O'Connor's best result at the Tour - fourth overall in 2021.
O'Connor thought he'd suffered a broken shoulder when he was caught in a crash on day one.
He then won stage nine at Tignes to dramatically transform his fortunes.
"I don't necessarily need to put a number on where I'm going to finish, because the story writes itself by the end," he said of his Tour goal this year.
"But I have my historical results. You know what's been capable. You know where I can place myself, more or less.
"It doesn't mean I'm going to be second at the Tour because I've been second at La Vuelta (last year), but it's where you expect yourself to be one of the better guys in the race - and then be involved.
"I would love to be, at least, aggressive at one point in the race. There's nothing better than being in the biggest race in the world and having that chance to win another stage."
O'Connor joined Jayco AlUla this year and is aware of the significance of the team having a local GC (general classification) contender for the first time.
When Cadel Evans won in 2011 and Richie Porte was third in 2020, they were in European-based teams.
"It is a big moment for Jayco AlUla, having an Australian GC guy. But in the end, I just have to go about my business as I normally would," he said.
"But - it would be great if it went well. It would be great for Australian cycling as well. It would be cool actually, if I was a kid, looking up like it was with Cadel and Richie.
"If they were part of GreenEDGE (the Australian team's original name) at the time, that would have been even more iconic."
Jayco AlUla will also have Dutch sprinter Dylan Gronewegen going for wins at the flat stages.
Australian Michael Matthews would have been their opportunist in the first few days of the Tour, but he was forced out of racing last month because of a pulmonary embolism.
"That's very poor timing ... it's such bad luck," O'Connor said of Matthews.
"The thing that makes it sting is the first nine days in particular are full of chances for Michael.
"That's where it hurts, but what can you do? In the end, it's his health."
BEN O'CONNOR'S TOP GRAND TOUR RESULTS
2021 Tour de France - fourth overall and stage win
2024 Giro d'Italia - fourth overall
2024 Vuelta a Espana - second overall and stage win
AUSTRALIANS AT THE JULY 5-27 TOUR DE FRANCE
Ben O'Connor, Luke Durbridge, Luke Plapp (Jayco AlUla)
Harry Sweeny (EF Education)
Callum Scotson (Decathlon AG2R)
Kaden Groves (Alpecin-Deceuninck)
Jack Haig, Rob Stannard (Bahrain-Victorious)
Jarrad Drizners (Lotto)
Michael Storer (Tudor).
Ben O'Connor knows he must play with fire at the Tour de France.
The 29-year-old will make Australian cycling history when the Tour starts on Saturday night (AEST) at Lille in north-east France.
For the first time since Jayco AlUla was formed in 2012, the only Australian team to contest the Tour will feature an Australian overall contender.
O'Connor has finished in the top four at the three-week Grand Tours - the Tour de France, the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a Espana.
He is the top Australian GC (general classification) hope at this year's Tour de France. His wealth of experience and results gives O'Connor confidence that he can achieve another big result at the sport's most famous race.
Slovenian Tadej Pogacar, the defending champion, and Dane Jonas Vingegaard have won the last five Tours between them. The consensus is that this year's title will be another duel between them.
But whatever happens, O'Connor will not die wondering.
"It's so often the case ... you do have to be astute and there are many chances," he told AAP.
"You play a little bit with fire and you also have to gamble, but that risk has paid off on occasion for me.
"It has to be weighted, so you're well aware you're not absolutely blowing your chance, you know?"
A good case in point was O'Connor's best result at the Tour - fourth overall in 2021.
O'Connor thought he'd suffered a broken shoulder when he was caught in a crash on day one.
He then won stage nine at Tignes to dramatically transform his fortunes.
"I don't necessarily need to put a number on where I'm going to finish, because the story writes itself by the end," he said of his Tour goal this year.
"But I have my historical results. You know what's been capable. You know where I can place myself, more or less.
"It doesn't mean I'm going to be second at the Tour because I've been second at La Vuelta (last year), but it's where you expect yourself to be one of the better guys in the race - and then be involved.
"I would love to be, at least, aggressive at one point in the race. There's nothing better than being in the biggest race in the world and having that chance to win another stage."
O'Connor joined Jayco AlUla this year and is aware of the significance of the team having a local GC (general classification) contender for the first time.
When Cadel Evans won in 2011 and Richie Porte was third in 2020, they were in European-based teams.
"It is a big moment for Jayco AlUla, having an Australian GC guy. But in the end, I just have to go about my business as I normally would," he said.
"But - it would be great if it went well. It would be great for Australian cycling as well. It would be cool actually, if I was a kid, looking up like it was with Cadel and Richie.
"If they were part of GreenEDGE (the Australian team's original name) at the time, that would have been even more iconic."
Jayco AlUla will also have Dutch sprinter Dylan Gronewegen going for wins at the flat stages.
Australian Michael Matthews would have been their opportunist in the first few days of the Tour, but he was forced out of racing last month because of a pulmonary embolism.
"That's very poor timing ... it's such bad luck," O'Connor said of Matthews.
"The thing that makes it sting is the first nine days in particular are full of chances for Michael.
"That's where it hurts, but what can you do? In the end, it's his health."
BEN O'CONNOR'S TOP GRAND TOUR RESULTS
2021 Tour de France - fourth overall and stage win
2024 Giro d'Italia - fourth overall
2024 Vuelta a Espana - second overall and stage win
AUSTRALIANS AT THE JULY 5-27 TOUR DE FRANCE
Ben O'Connor, Luke Durbridge, Luke Plapp (Jayco AlUla)
Harry Sweeny (EF Education)
Callum Scotson (Decathlon AG2R)
Kaden Groves (Alpecin-Deceuninck)
Jack Haig, Rob Stannard (Bahrain-Victorious)
Jarrad Drizners (Lotto)
Michael Storer (Tudor).
Ben O'Connor knows he must play with fire at the Tour de France.
The 29-year-old will make Australian cycling history when the Tour starts on Saturday night (AEST) at Lille in north-east France.
For the first time since Jayco AlUla was formed in 2012, the only Australian team to contest the Tour will feature an Australian overall contender.
O'Connor has finished in the top four at the three-week Grand Tours - the Tour de France, the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a Espana.
He is the top Australian GC (general classification) hope at this year's Tour de France. His wealth of experience and results gives O'Connor confidence that he can achieve another big result at the sport's most famous race.
Slovenian Tadej Pogacar, the defending champion, and Dane Jonas Vingegaard have won the last five Tours between them. The consensus is that this year's title will be another duel between them.
But whatever happens, O'Connor will not die wondering.
"It's so often the case ... you do have to be astute and there are many chances," he told AAP.
"You play a little bit with fire and you also have to gamble, but that risk has paid off on occasion for me.
"It has to be weighted, so you're well aware you're not absolutely blowing your chance, you know?"
A good case in point was O'Connor's best result at the Tour - fourth overall in 2021.
O'Connor thought he'd suffered a broken shoulder when he was caught in a crash on day one.
He then won stage nine at Tignes to dramatically transform his fortunes.
"I don't necessarily need to put a number on where I'm going to finish, because the story writes itself by the end," he said of his Tour goal this year.
"But I have my historical results. You know what's been capable. You know where I can place myself, more or less.
"It doesn't mean I'm going to be second at the Tour because I've been second at La Vuelta (last year), but it's where you expect yourself to be one of the better guys in the race - and then be involved.
"I would love to be, at least, aggressive at one point in the race. There's nothing better than being in the biggest race in the world and having that chance to win another stage."
O'Connor joined Jayco AlUla this year and is aware of the significance of the team having a local GC (general classification) contender for the first time.
When Cadel Evans won in 2011 and Richie Porte was third in 2020, they were in European-based teams.
"It is a big moment for Jayco AlUla, having an Australian GC guy. But in the end, I just have to go about my business as I normally would," he said.
"But - it would be great if it went well. It would be great for Australian cycling as well. It would be cool actually, if I was a kid, looking up like it was with Cadel and Richie.
"If they were part of GreenEDGE (the Australian team's original name) at the time, that would have been even more iconic."
Jayco AlUla will also have Dutch sprinter Dylan Gronewegen going for wins at the flat stages.
Australian Michael Matthews would have been their opportunist in the first few days of the Tour, but he was forced out of racing last month because of a pulmonary embolism.
"That's very poor timing ... it's such bad luck," O'Connor said of Matthews.
"The thing that makes it sting is the first nine days in particular are full of chances for Michael.
"That's where it hurts, but what can you do? In the end, it's his health."
BEN O'CONNOR'S TOP GRAND TOUR RESULTS
2021 Tour de France - fourth overall and stage win
2024 Giro d'Italia - fourth overall
2024 Vuelta a Espana - second overall and stage win
AUSTRALIANS AT THE JULY 5-27 TOUR DE FRANCE
Ben O'Connor, Luke Durbridge, Luke Plapp (Jayco AlUla)
Harry Sweeny (EF Education)
Callum Scotson (Decathlon AG2R)
Kaden Groves (Alpecin-Deceuninck)
Jack Haig, Rob Stannard (Bahrain-Victorious)
Jarrad Drizners (Lotto)
Michael Storer (Tudor).
Ben O'Connor knows he must play with fire at the Tour de France.
The 29-year-old will make Australian cycling history when the Tour starts on Saturday night (AEST) at Lille in north-east France.
For the first time since Jayco AlUla was formed in 2012, the only Australian team to contest the Tour will feature an Australian overall contender.
O'Connor has finished in the top four at the three-week Grand Tours - the Tour de France, the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a Espana.
He is the top Australian GC (general classification) hope at this year's Tour de France. His wealth of experience and results gives O'Connor confidence that he can achieve another big result at the sport's most famous race.
Slovenian Tadej Pogacar, the defending champion, and Dane Jonas Vingegaard have won the last five Tours between them. The consensus is that this year's title will be another duel between them.
But whatever happens, O'Connor will not die wondering.
"It's so often the case ... you do have to be astute and there are many chances," he told AAP.
"You play a little bit with fire and you also have to gamble, but that risk has paid off on occasion for me.
"It has to be weighted, so you're well aware you're not absolutely blowing your chance, you know?"
A good case in point was O'Connor's best result at the Tour - fourth overall in 2021.
O'Connor thought he'd suffered a broken shoulder when he was caught in a crash on day one.
He then won stage nine at Tignes to dramatically transform his fortunes.
"I don't necessarily need to put a number on where I'm going to finish, because the story writes itself by the end," he said of his Tour goal this year.
"But I have my historical results. You know what's been capable. You know where I can place myself, more or less.
"It doesn't mean I'm going to be second at the Tour because I've been second at La Vuelta (last year), but it's where you expect yourself to be one of the better guys in the race - and then be involved.
"I would love to be, at least, aggressive at one point in the race. There's nothing better than being in the biggest race in the world and having that chance to win another stage."
O'Connor joined Jayco AlUla this year and is aware of the significance of the team having a local GC (general classification) contender for the first time.
When Cadel Evans won in 2011 and Richie Porte was third in 2020, they were in European-based teams.
"It is a big moment for Jayco AlUla, having an Australian GC guy. But in the end, I just have to go about my business as I normally would," he said.
"But - it would be great if it went well. It would be great for Australian cycling as well. It would be cool actually, if I was a kid, looking up like it was with Cadel and Richie.
"If they were part of GreenEDGE (the Australian team's original name) at the time, that would have been even more iconic."
Jayco AlUla will also have Dutch sprinter Dylan Gronewegen going for wins at the flat stages.
Australian Michael Matthews would have been their opportunist in the first few days of the Tour, but he was forced out of racing last month because of a pulmonary embolism.
"That's very poor timing ... it's such bad luck," O'Connor said of Matthews.
"The thing that makes it sting is the first nine days in particular are full of chances for Michael.
"That's where it hurts, but what can you do? In the end, it's his health."
BEN O'CONNOR'S TOP GRAND TOUR RESULTS
2021 Tour de France - fourth overall and stage win
2024 Giro d'Italia - fourth overall
2024 Vuelta a Espana - second overall and stage win
AUSTRALIANS AT THE JULY 5-27 TOUR DE FRANCE
Ben O'Connor, Luke Durbridge, Luke Plapp (Jayco AlUla)
Harry Sweeny (EF Education)
Callum Scotson (Decathlon AG2R)
Kaden Groves (Alpecin-Deceuninck)
Jack Haig, Rob Stannard (Bahrain-Victorious)
Jarrad Drizners (Lotto)
Michael Storer (Tudor).
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In the previous game, Hijikata had been 0-40 and three match points down on his own serve but the world No.87 then won the five next points to stay in the hunt. By that time it was 9.30pm and had become so dark on a court without floodlighting that Forcadell insisted he had to call a suspension. Shelton was furious, and the courtside supervisor stepped in quickly amid his complaints. Meanwhile, Hijikata had already swiftly sped away to complete his great escape. The most ridiculous aspect of the affair had been that after he had taken his two-set lead at 8.40pm, the dominant Shelton had already queried with Forcadell whether there was enough time to complete the match. The 22-year-old American also pointed out it was beginning to be slippery at the back of the court and seemed as if he would have been happy for the match to be postponed at that point. Hijikata, perhaps playing for time, had meanwhile disappeared for a strategic comfort break and when the 24-year-old Australian returned, he didn't seem overly enthused about them playing on. Indeed, after slipping on the grass at 1-3 down, he pointedly told Forcadell: "No mate, you're not the one out there running and moving." Ultimately, though, there was no way back on Friday as Shelton ruthlessly booked his third round date with Hungarian 'lucky loser' Marton Fucsovics, who also completed victory in a resumed contest, knocking out crowd favourite Gael Monfils 6-4 1-6 4-6 7-6 (7-5) 6-4. Australian Rinky Hijikata's daydream of pulling off the greatest of Wimbledon escapes against American big-hitter Ben Shelton lasted less than a minute when the pair resumed their controversially suspended late-evening match. Hijikata had got the unexpected chance to live to fight another day after saving three match points and then being reprieved by a controversial postponement of play on Thursday night amid farcical scenes as darkness descended. But when the match resumed on No.2 Court in the Friday afternoon sunshine with No.10 seed Shelton serving for the match, everyone could see the funny side once he won all four points in just 55 seconds, including three booming aces, to complete the straightforward 6-2 7-5 6-3 victory in two hours 12 minutes. Sydneysider Hijikata, who had been unable to dent the two-time grand semi-finalist's delivery all match, couldn't help but grin ruefully as any chance of him becoming the fourth Australian to qualify for the third round alongside Alex de Minaur, Jordan Thompson and Daria Kasatkina was blasted away. Shelton's four unreturnable serves were timed at 141mph (ace), 107mph, 140mph (ace) and 118mph (ace) as he was left all smiles as opposed to the previous night when he had been raging over Spanish chair umpire Nacho Forcadell calling off play just when he was about to step up and issue the coup de grace. In the previous game, Hijikata had been 0-40 and three match points down on his own serve but the world No.87 then won the five next points to stay in the hunt. By that time it was 9.30pm and had become so dark on a court without floodlighting that Forcadell insisted he had to call a suspension. Shelton was furious, and the courtside supervisor stepped in quickly amid his complaints. Meanwhile, Hijikata had already swiftly sped away to complete his great escape. The most ridiculous aspect of the affair had been that after he had taken his two-set lead at 8.40pm, the dominant Shelton had already queried with Forcadell whether there was enough time to complete the match. The 22-year-old American also pointed out it was beginning to be slippery at the back of the court and seemed as if he would have been happy for the match to be postponed at that point. Hijikata, perhaps playing for time, had meanwhile disappeared for a strategic comfort break and when the 24-year-old Australian returned, he didn't seem overly enthused about them playing on. Indeed, after slipping on the grass at 1-3 down, he pointedly told Forcadell: "No mate, you're not the one out there running and moving." Ultimately, though, there was no way back on Friday as Shelton ruthlessly booked his third round date with Hungarian 'lucky loser' Marton Fucsovics, who also completed victory in a resumed contest, knocking out crowd favourite Gael Monfils 6-4 1-6 4-6 7-6 (7-5) 6-4. Australian Rinky Hijikata's daydream of pulling off the greatest of Wimbledon escapes against American big-hitter Ben Shelton lasted less than a minute when the pair resumed their controversially suspended late-evening match. Hijikata had got the unexpected chance to live to fight another day after saving three match points and then being reprieved by a controversial postponement of play on Thursday night amid farcical scenes as darkness descended. But when the match resumed on No.2 Court in the Friday afternoon sunshine with No.10 seed Shelton serving for the match, everyone could see the funny side once he won all four points in just 55 seconds, including three booming aces, to complete the straightforward 6-2 7-5 6-3 victory in two hours 12 minutes. Sydneysider Hijikata, who had been unable to dent the two-time grand semi-finalist's delivery all match, couldn't help but grin ruefully as any chance of him becoming the fourth Australian to qualify for the third round alongside Alex de Minaur, Jordan Thompson and Daria Kasatkina was blasted away. Shelton's four unreturnable serves were timed at 141mph (ace), 107mph, 140mph (ace) and 118mph (ace) as he was left all smiles as opposed to the previous night when he had been raging over Spanish chair umpire Nacho Forcadell calling off play just when he was about to step up and issue the coup de grace. In the previous game, Hijikata had been 0-40 and three match points down on his own serve but the world No.87 then won the five next points to stay in the hunt. By that time it was 9.30pm and had become so dark on a court without floodlighting that Forcadell insisted he had to call a suspension. Shelton was furious, and the courtside supervisor stepped in quickly amid his complaints. Meanwhile, Hijikata had already swiftly sped away to complete his great escape. The most ridiculous aspect of the affair had been that after he had taken his two-set lead at 8.40pm, the dominant Shelton had already queried with Forcadell whether there was enough time to complete the match. The 22-year-old American also pointed out it was beginning to be slippery at the back of the court and seemed as if he would have been happy for the match to be postponed at that point. Hijikata, perhaps playing for time, had meanwhile disappeared for a strategic comfort break and when the 24-year-old Australian returned, he didn't seem overly enthused about them playing on. Indeed, after slipping on the grass at 1-3 down, he pointedly told Forcadell: "No mate, you're not the one out there running and moving." Ultimately, though, there was no way back on Friday as Shelton ruthlessly booked his third round date with Hungarian 'lucky loser' Marton Fucsovics, who also completed victory in a resumed contest, knocking out crowd favourite Gael Monfils 6-4 1-6 4-6 7-6 (7-5) 6-4.
