After coming fourth at the Tour de France in 2021, there’s no longer any question that Ben O’Connor has what it takes to be a competitive general classification rider but, as big a breakthrough as last year’s rise up the overall ranks was, the Australian is no longer content with falling just short of the podium steps.
So far this season has been one of consistently strong performances for the AG2R Citroën rider, never out of the top ten in GC and, after having to pull out of Paris Nice unwell, he came back to take a stage victory at Volta a Catalunya and then win at the one-day Tour du Jura.
At his last race, the Tour de Romandie, he went onto to take his best overall result of the season so far, moving up one spot from his sixth place finish of 2021.
"I am rather pleased with how I have been riding so far, but it could have been even better," O'Connor said in a Q&A style media release from the Critérium du Dauphiné. "For example, I was fifth in the Tour de Romandie but I felt that I could have finished on the podium and why not win if everything had gone better.
The growing consistency, and along it with it the loftier ambitions, are something the rider from Perth puts down to the process of maturing as a rider.
"I'm still developing physically and my level is rising naturally," said O'Connor. "I am 26 years old and the years of hard work are starting to pay off. My body is adapting to the demands of these races and is responding better and better to very ambitious goals. I am also becoming more confident. I used to hope to become a general classification rider. Now I am a general classification rider."
And now he is also a general classification rider who wants more than a top ten, or top five.
"The time has come to go for a podium in a major World Tour event. It would be my first and I know that it is now possible for me to win these types of races," said O'Connor ahead of the Sunday start of the eight-stage Critérium du Dauphiné, which fellow Australian Richie Porte (Ineos Grenadiers) won last year.
As for his strategy going into the race, where he came eighth last year, O'Connor is looking beyond the first uphill finish at Chastreix-Sancy (6.2km at 5.6%) and to the 31.9km time trial on stage 4 as a day which could play a crucial part in shaping the GC before the final weekend in the Alps.
"Clearly it is a challenge," said O'Connor of the stage 3 uphill finish. "But the last climb is not steep enough to make a big difference. On the other hand, the time trial will be crucial. I haven't done many this year and I am eager to see where I stand in this respect.
"I believe that the days when climbers were inevitably bad on flat roads are over. I can also do well in time trials."
July also brings more time trial tests at another French race where O'Connor hopes to emulate the success of his compatriots, be it Dauphiné victor Porte who took third at the Tour de France in 2020, or even perhaps fellow Western Australian Jai HIndley who has now stood on the very top step of a Grand Tour podium.
"My Tour adventure last year was extraordinary and I couldn't even begin to imagine what happened. To win a stage and finish fourth overall in Paris is something huge. And I did it! But of course, you always want to do better. That's why you become an athlete and why you have to invest so much in this job," said O'Connor.
"So I have changed my view compared to last year and I feel capable of aiming for the top this summer. It was also encouraging to see my friend Jai Hindley win the Giro. He is also from Perth and we have known each other for a long time. When I saw him win, I told myself I too can do it."
