Consistency and taking chances are not two concepts that may seem like a natural pairing, but ahead of this year’s Giro d’Italia they were exactly the key words Ben O’Connor (Jayco-AlUla) was focusing on.
After all, when it comes to Grand Tour’s it’s taking those chances that helped push him up the ranks on the general classification standings and then his consistency afterward that helped him stay near the top, right from the 2021 Tour de France fourth place to second overall at the Vuelta a España in 2024. The question now is whether that is a formula that could take him back to the GC podium of a Grand Tour again at this year’s Giro d’Italia?
“I feel like this is the same situation – I’ve definitely been improving and I’ve done some things that definitely show in training that I’m there on paper,” said O’Connor. “But its not till you get to stage seven and the Blockhaus and then afterwards that things really show and you can see if that’s all true or not.”
Chasing chances
O’Connor has outlined in the past that the Giro is a Grand Tour that he believes suits, and with the loading of very long climbs into the back end of the race that “helps me, it helps me a lot,” he said.
“Definitely those 30 to 45 minute climbs quite often in that final week, that’s kind of where my bread and butter is and it’s where I’ve won my stages in Grand Tours,” said the rider who won a Tour de France stage to Tignes in 2021 and another in 2025 to the Col de la Loze, a Giro d’Italia stage to Madonna di Campiglio in 2020 and in 2024 claimed a Vuelta stage win on the climb heavy course to Yunquera .
That, climb-heavy final section of the this edition of the Giro hopefully is also when the Jayco-AlUla leader should be at his strongest.
“I’ve been progressing in a bit of a slower fashion, and trying to get there at the right point, at the right time, and not overdoing it,” said O’Connor of his build this season. “In 24 I suffered a lot with the illness, and there it was a shame with how that final week played out because there was a lot more physically I could have given in, in theory.
“So yeah, I’d love to have that opportunity again and be in the right frame of mind and physical state to give things a go to the absolute max.”
As for the approach to the race overall, “my key word is just consistency and take your chance”, said O’Connor.
That chance, however, may have to wait till a little later in the event.
“I think that opportunistic kind of moment is not so much for the first week, but more a bit later in the race, if that ends up coming to pass. But yeah, it something that I’ve have been able to do throughout my career.”
And we very soon may see him do it once again.
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