Rider Profile
Ben O'Connor
Jayco-AlUla
Personal Details:
Teams history:
- 2025 - Jayco-AlUla
- 2024 - Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale
- 2023 - AG2R Citroën Team
- 2022 - AG2R Citroën Team
- 2021 - AG2R Citroën Team
- 2020 - NTT Pro Cycling
- 2019 - Dimension Data
- 2018 - Dimension Data
- 2017 - Dimension Data
- 2016 - Avanti IsoWhey Sports
Biography:
Australian road pro Ben O’Connor has proved himself to be a GC contender with strong climbing prowess. He was born in Western Australia near Perth on November 25, 1995 and entered his first bike race at the age of 17, a criterium near his home, and won. He rode for a local club team for two seasons and in 2015 that same team upgraded to Continental level as Navitas-Satalyst Racing Team. He finished in the top 20 at Tour of Qinghai Lake and caught the eye of Jayco-AIS World Tour Academy.
In 2016 he split time with the academy and another Australian Continental team, Avanti IsoWhey Sport, and the top results started to roll in - a stage win and GC title at New Zealand Cycle Classic, third at the U23 time trial national championships, and another pair of bronze-medal finishes at international stage races - Tour de Taiwan and tour de Savoie Mont Blanc.
He got the call to move up to the WorldTour level in 2017, riding four years with the Dimension Data programme and then a four-year contract with AG2R Citroën Team. His first year at the top level saw him focus on one-week stage races, where he finished fifth on GC with a stage victory at Tour of Austria and eighth on GC at Touro de Langkawi.
As a 22-year-old the next season, O’Connor won a stage and best young rider classification at Tour of the Alps and competed at the Giro d’Italia. He sat 12th overall in his first Grand Tour until a crash on stage 19 took him out of the race, resulting in a broken collarbone. But his performance as a climber impressed the Dimension Data management. The next season he completed the Giro and the Vuelta a España, taking a sixth place on the mountaintop finish at Santuario del Acebo on stage 15 in Spain.
His first Grand Tour stage victory came in 2020 in the re-worked year of the coronavirus pandemic when the Giro was held in October. He soloed to a win atop Madonna di Campiglio on stage 17 after getting into breakaways for three consecutive days, also scoring second on a hilly stage 16.
He signed a one-year deal with AG2R Citroën in 2021, earning top 10s in the overall at Tour de Romandie and Critérium du Dauphiné before a standout performance at the Tour de France. He won stage 9 in Tignes in the first week and then added to more top 10s on climbing days to jump to fourth overall by the time 21 days ended in Paris. The team signed him for three more years.
In 2022 his build-up to the Tour included a third on GC at Critérium du Dauphiné, as well as top 6 at Volta a Catalunya and top 5 at Tour de Romandie. But his Tour stalled nine days in with a torn glute muscle suffered in a crash. He returned for another Vuelta and finished eighth overall.
In 2023, he had solid results across 67 race days but no individual victories. He took two stage podiums at the Tour, and supported teammate Felix Gall for eighth overall.
Top results
2023
🥉Two stages at Tour de France
🥉Overall at Critérium du Dauphiné
2022
🥇 Tour du Jura Cycliste
🥉 One stage and GC at Critérium du Dauphiné
2021
🥇 One stage at Tour de France
Fourth GC at Tour de France
2020
🥇 One stage at Giro d’Italia
🥇 One stage at Etoile de Bessèges
🥈 One stage at Giro d’Italia
Related Articles
'It wasn't a day for GC guys to go for it' – Ben O'Connor calm and in control at Vuelta a España
By Barry Ryan published
News Australian on his Netflix reputation and his prospects of defending red until Madrid
'I just love racing from the front' - Ben O'Connor relishes his unexpected lead in Vuelta a España
By Peter Stuart published
News Australian rider doesn’t feel the pressure of his 'unexpected' red jersey as finishing atop the field becomes more plausible
Ben O’Connor 'much better than yesterday’ and keeps lead intact in Vuelta a España
By Alasdair Fotheringham published
News Australian firmly in control of Vuelta GC after toughest mountain stage to date
Vuelta a España stage 9 preview - Sierra Nevada mountains and heat signal 'the first real crunch moment'
By Alasdair Fotheringham last updated
Preview Double ascent of Alto de Hazallanas a measure for GC contenders
Vuelta a España leader Ben O’Connor defiant but troubled by Primož Roglič onslaught
By Alasdair Fotheringham published
News Australian loses nearly a minute in dramatic uphill battle at Cazorla
Jack Haig - 'Ben O'Connor has a really good chance now to win the Vuelta a España'
By Alasdair Fotheringham published
News Fellow Australian riding Vuelta in support of Bahrain Victorious teammate Antonio Tiberi
Ben O'Connor puts up strong resistance on first day as Vuelta a España leader
By Alasdair Fotheringham published
News 'It's all in for the red jersey until it comes off my shoulders - and maybe it won't' says Australian
Sepp Kuss sees own history repeating itself with new Vuelta a España leader Ben O'Connor
By Alasdair Fotheringham published
News 'No team wants a guy like O'Connor that far ahead'
Blogs
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Nathan Haas blog: Has the UCI done enough for gravel pros at the Gravel World Championships?
Sponsored gravel riders appear to be losing interest in the rainbow jersey battle -
Lauren De Crescenzo and her tough decision to miss UCI Gravel World Championships
In her own words, the gravel star explains the complex picture of the Gravel World Championships for the US team -
A proper women's race – Historic day in Emporia at Unbound Gravel
Extended gaps around women's start end with unprecedented sprint finish though 'it’s still imperfect, but it’s the best we can do for now' -
Road prep and adapting to new rules as Life Time Grand Prix begins at Fuego XL mountain bike event
Lauren De Crescenzo uses The Growler for confidence boost ride ahead of prestigious off-road series -
'Untapped gold' in store for inaugural RADL GRVL in South Australia
Nathan Haas calls gravel course 'raw, fast, exciting' after pre-ride with co-founder Valtteri Bottas