Ben O’Connor misses out on victory in Stage 18 of La Vuelta a Espana
In Stage 18 of the La Vuelta a Espana, Ben O’Connor from the AG2R CITROËN team finished in seventh place. While O’Connor put up a strong performance, he expressed disappointment over not clinching the victory.
“I’m not really satisfied with my result today. I didn’t manage the finish very well and maybe I missed out on victory. I really wanted to win. I was hoping for a fast final climb, but it was all tactics and I spent too many cartridges unnecessarily. I should have waited because I was very strong and it could have worked,” O’Connor said.
O’Connor also mentioned his appreciation for the chaos in the race caused by Joao Almeida’s attack. “I like it better when it’s chaotic like today. The other stages of this Vuelta haven’t been hard enough for me,” he added.
Despite missing out on the win, O’Connor remains in eighth place overall in the Vuelta a Espana. Julien Jurdie, sports director of the AG2R CITROËN team, expressed confidence in O’Connor’s ability to improve his position in the remaining stages. “What’s important to remember is that the legs were good and that the group’s state of mind has been irreproachable since the start of this third week. It bodes well for the last two battles, because we know that Ben can move up a few places in the overall classification and that the team is capable of going for a stage win,” Jurdie said.
In addition to O’Connor’s performance, teammates Nans Peters and Nicolas Prodhomme broke away during the stage, providing support for O’Connor. “The aim was for Nans (Peters) or me to get into the breakaway today and it worked out for both of us. The organization was special with lots of people. The favourites for the overall condemned it, but we were able to act as a relay for Ben (O’Connor), who was very strong today. We’ll have to try again over the next two days, with a view to winning the stage or helping Ben,” Prodhomme said.
As the Vuelta a Espana nears its conclusion, O’Connor and the AG2R CITROËN team remain determined to make a strong impact in the upcoming stages.
