Ben O’Connor on his Vuelta: ‘For me, second is a win’

Primož Roglič spent two weeks chasing down Ben O’Connor, the Australian who gained a 4:51 lead with his Stage 6 victory before finally being overtaken on Stage 19. O’Connor, who also finished fourth in May’s Giro d’Italia, is the second-best Grand Tour rider of 2024, after Tadej Pogačar. The Australian was pleased with his result, despite losing the jersey with just two days to go.

Finally on a Grand Tour podium

“It’s a bit of a dream. I have been close before, but to get it now is such an amazing thing. For me, second is a win,” he said after the final stage, a time trial in Madrid. “I was really surprised I could get to Stage 19 still wearing the red jersey. It’s pretty nice to have the feeling that one day I might win a Grand Tour. That’s something I’d probably have found unrealistic before, especially after the Giro. So to be so close here is pretty special.”

Roglič claimed his fourth Vuelta a España title on Sunday, matching Roberto Heras’ record for the most wins in the race’s history. Both riders achieved their four victories over six consecutive editions in the 21st century, with nearly identical winning margins: Heras won by 0:28, 2:13, 2:33, and 4:36, while Roglič won by 0:24, 2:33, 2:36, and 4:42.

Strong finish for Roglič

This latest win brings Roglič’s total to five Grand Tour titles. His new team, Red Bull-Bora Hansgrohe, emerged as the strongest in the race despite battling illness and now boasts two Grand Tour wins this season. Roglič finished second to Stefan Küng in Sunday’s 24.6-km time trial in Madrid.

O’Connor wasn’t sure what he could do before the Vuelta but was confident he would have a good ride.
“I really didn’t think I was going to win this race. I could see that I would lose the jersey for a while because, in the end, I wasn’t good enough to win the race,” he said. “But I was always good enough to be on the podium. And in the end, I was focused on limiting my losses. That was my main objective.”

Proud of the final two stages

In those last two days, he said he delivered a race he could be proud of, excelling both on the climbs and in the time trial. “It’s a really beautiful way to finish the race, being proud of your efforts,” he said. “To finish on the Vuelta podium is a dream come true. It’s something I’ve been chasing for the last couple of years. So to get it at last is amazing.”

The next big race on the men’s WorldTour calendar is here in Canada….