Ben O’Connor (Decathlon-AG2R) acknowledged that he was comfortable and under no pressure with his lead in 79th Back to Spain because he achieved it in an “unexpected” way after his solo victory in the sixth period that ended Yunquera (Málaga) but it is also “a dream come true.”
“I never thought I would wear the red jersey at the Vuelta a España, so I’m trying to enjoy the moment,” he explained on the first rest day of the Spanish race after moving from Granada to Vigo.
The Australian commented that he was feeling “a bit tired” after a first nine stages marked by high temperatures.
“I’m a bit tired because of the heat, but I’m fine to face this second week. I like the race for three weeks and I’m looking forward to the next stages of this Vuelta,” he said.
The huge advantage that allowed the favorites between Coín and Yunquera to achieve put him in the group of contenders to win this seventy-ninth edition and more than one surely regretted it. “I think so, although we will only know the answer in Madrid, but I think some teams must be sorry for what happened.”
After his fourth place in the last Giro d’Italia he now sees himself with the chance to achieve his first podium in a grand tour, something “I want to do, but if I don’t deserve it I will not have to experience disappointment.”
Regarding the team, he emphasized the presence of the Austrian Felix Gall next to him, describing him as very important because “he is a rider with whom I completely agree and I feel comfortable. He is very strong and with him we can control very well which are final attacks and in the case of “If we have a chance we can be offensive.”
“Why didn’t he come with me to the top of the Cazorla climb? He was with me almost to the end,” he explained.
O’Connor admitted that he wants to be the final winner in Madrid of the Vuelta on September 8, although there are other riders who have options to achieve it such as “Primoz Roglic, Enric Mas or Carlos Rodríguez among others who I can name it. I will give my best every day.
Source: La Verdad
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