O’Connor is clear: “The goal is to hang on and hang on because Roglic can have a bad day and I can get more of an advantage”

He leader of the 79 Vuelta a España, the Australian Ben O’Connor (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale”assured this Sunday that from now on in the race, where he once again lost time, 38 seconds, “the goal” he has is to hold on and last as long as he can in the red or on the podium.

“I didn’t think I could win in red, but this season my intention is the podium of a great Vuelta and the goal is to hold on and hold on because (Primoz) Roglic He can also have a problem and I can take advantage of him,” encouraged the ocean for the rest of the Vuelta.

“I have a lot of confidence in stages like today, although the finish is very difficult, but in the long climbs I have a lot of confidence,” he said before the final week.

In that sense, he assured that “now he is optimistic” and believes that he “proved those who expected him to lose the jersey wrong.”

“I’ve had a pretty good day. It’s a shame it bled up at the end, but that has to be one of the most horrible endings I’ve ever done, it was unpleasant. You felt like you were going nowhere, you had nothing can be seen in the fog that is difficult,” he said about the hard ramps of Cuitu Negru.

For O’Connor, on stage “there was really only one attack and that was Primoz’s, really amazing, and from then on it was basically one on one.”

In any case, he is happy to continue wearing the red jersey. “I’m still in the lead, so I’ll continue. I’ll rest tomorrow, try to enjoy myself if I can and then I’ll face Lagos de Covadonga on Tuesday,” he said, “proud” of what he’s doing.

“It’s already been ten days of red and it’s quite special, it means almost half of the race. I can be happy with myself, happy with the guys (on his team) and I think it’s really a magical moment for me,” the leader of the 2024 Vuelta.