Cycling, O'Connor: "I was one of the revelations of the year"

Rome, 7 November 2024 - After a career in which the good sharpness was often lacking, the season just archived marked the redemption of Ben O'Connor: fourth al Giro d'Italia 2024, thus equaling the same position of the Tour de France 2021, But especially second to the 2024 lap behind Primois Roglic and silver medal at 2024 FIBA WC behind a certain Tadej pogacar. This was the Australian's 'greeting' to the Decathlon AG2R The World Team before the upcoming adventure at Team Jayco AlUla, where it will replace Simon yates (in turn passed to the Visma-Lease a Bike).

The revelation of the year

Who knows, maybe the air at home does us good. O'Connor and to the same oceanic team, which is slowly trying to become more and more competitive: certainly hiring one of the most mature riders in the 2024 represents a significant blow, as confirmed by the person directly involved speaking to the microphones of Marca. "Maybe for some people I was the revelation of the season: even for those who had seen how I worked, and I think they are the first to be happy with my growth. In the past years I had already achieved several goals, but in 2024 I have reached my peak, which I hope to maintain in the 2025. I would also like to improve on what I achieved at Giro d'Italia, in order to reach two podiums in two Grand ToursIt won't be easy, just as winning a high-level week-long stage race won't be easy. World Tour, which I have already touched on in the past". There is no shortage of clear ideas O'Connor who, thanks to his age being no longer very young, wants to do it. "Runners like me can't wait so long. I'm happy to have signed with the Team Jayco AlUla so that I can plan well in advance for the next season. I hope and think that I can run for another ten years and during this period I want to get the most out of it, without obsessions. I will spend a lot of time in Europe and I want to enjoy it, because then it won't be like this anymore". Finally, a possible thought also on one-day races. "Up until now I haven't worked much on this type of race, also because there aren't many that are suitable for me. However, I would like some: I'm thinking of Tour of Lombardy and Montreal GP, because they are similar to the World, whose second place this year gave me confidence."

Schmid's honesty

Then there are those who like Mauro Schmid it's already in Team Jayco AlUla, a team with which he grew up a lot. "Both victories and defeats make you stronger. At the beginning I had to deal with a knee problem that did not go away, then I recovered and won the national championship, a feat that I had already come close to in the past. Even from Return I learned a lot: for example, I understood that it is not always useful to attack alone without waiting for others". The Swiss, who has a background in cyclocross, track and mountain biking, but not only, does not lack a spirit of sacrifice. "I worked as an assistant in a workshop and there I understood an important thing: cycling is sometimes hard, but working is even harder".

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