Historic outcomes show Australia is a biking powerhouse

Following a historic efficiency on the Vuelta a España, Australia can justifiably name itself a biking superpower.

And there must be extra Australian success to come back.

Ben O’Connor (second general), Jay Vine (king of the mountains) and Kaden Groves (factors jersey) ensured that three Australians would grace the rostrum in Madrid.

Not since 2015 have three completely different riders from the identical nation achieved that feat at any grand tour.

Spaniards Alejandro Valverde (factors) Amar Fraile (mountains) and Joaquim Rodríguez (second general) did so on the 2015 Vuelta, and on the Giro in the identical yr, Giacomo Nizzolo, Giovanni Visconti and Fabio Aru occupied those self same spots. 

From an Australian perspective although, this yr’s Vuelta was the nation’s finest return because the 2010 Giro d’Italia.

In that yr’s Giro, Australia received each jersey bar the general as Cadel Evans (factors), Matthew Lloyd (mountains jersey and combativity prize) and Richie Porte (youth) starred.

The most important prize could have eluded the Australians once more, 14 years later in Spain, however they’ve nonetheless cleaned up the minor jerseys.

And, with O’Connor claiming a hard-earned second place general end — the very best ever by an Australian rider on the Vuelta, bettering the third-place finishes by Evans in 2009 and Jack Haig in 2021 — it felt like a victory nonetheless. 

“For me, second is a win,” O’Connor informed CyclingNews after the race.

“I did not anticipate to have the [leaders] purple jersey and to have it for 2 weeks.

O’Connor, in truth, wore the purple leaders jersey for 13 days on the Vuelta, essentially the most variety of days an Australian has ever worn the race leaders jersey at a single version of any grand tour.

It has him setting his sights greater.

Fourth at this yr’s Giro, along with a fourth place on the 2021 Tour de France, marks O’Connor out as one of the promising stage racers on the planet.

It’s, maybe, unlucky for him that he lives and races in a period the place Jonas Vingegaard and, particularly Tadej Pogačar, take it upon themselves to repeatedly rewrite what is feasible in multistage racing.

He admitted to reporters that it was unlikely he may ever beat both of them to win a three-week stage race.

However that does not imply he is not aiming to go one higher.

“It is fairly good to have the sensation that someday that you might perhaps win a [grand tour],” O’Connor stated.

“That is one thing I would in all probability have discovered unrealistic earlier than, particularly after the Giro. So to be so shut right here is fairly particular.

“To complete on the Vuelta podium is a dream come true. It is one thing I have been chasing for the final couple of years and to get it finally is superb.”

Kaden Groves dreaming of inexperienced in France 

On the different finish of the grand tour targets scale, sprinter Groves had one more very good race.

He has now received back-to-back factors jerseys on the Vuelta and develop into the primary Australian to ever defend their jersey at a grand tour.

Certain, this one got here partly due to the unlucky crash of Wout van Aert, a crash that ended the famous person Belgian’s complete season.

But it surely’s removed from a fluke.

Groves has now received eight phases at grand excursions over the previous three years — rating him fourth amongst Australians in grand-tour historical past. 

That is a massively spectacular return and higher than a lot of his rivals over the identical time interval, together with Jonathan Milan, Tim Merlier, Dylan Groenewegen, Olav Kooij and this yr’s Tour de France inexperienced jersey winner, Biniam Girmay.

It’s not higher, nonetheless, than his precept rival for a spot on Alpecin-Deceuninck’s Tour de France workforce, Jasper Philipsen.

The Flandrian sprinter has received 9 phases on the Tour de France in his final three begins, together with the factors jersey in 2023.

He additionally received his first monument at Milan-SanRemo earlier this yr, placing him on the prime of the record.

Nevertheless, regardless of seemingly being destined to play second fiddle to the person who veers between being known as a catastrophe and grasp with virtually each dash, Groves just lately re-signed for Alpecin-Deceuninck.

And he nonetheless has hopes of competing on the Tour.

“Ideally subsequent yr I can race there together with Jasper,” Groves stated.

“We’re completely different sprinters, I am extra suited to decreased sprints, so hopefully there will be a spot for each of us within the Tour and we will race collectively like we have now executed so properly previously.”

Jay Vine ‘simply getting began’

So what of Australia’s comeback king of the mountains?

5 months in the past there have been fears for Vine’s potential to carry his then-unborn youngster, so critical was his crash on the Itzulia Basque Nation.

5 months to the day after that crash, he was using by way of the identical Basque Nation roads with the blue and white polka dots jersey on his again.

“It is fairly unbelievable,” Vine stated.

“The restoration that I’ve had is superb. On the time, we did not actually know if I might be capable to journey once more, not to mention compete. So to have the ability to be right here with the jersey, it was like a dream. 

“To truly be capable to pull it off is superb.”

In 2022, Vine was in an analogous place, sporting the jersey as mountains chief till a crash on stage 18 ended his race.

Successful the jersey now, following such a traumatic yr, definitely provides Vine some closure, whereas prepping him for what’s subsequent.

“I really feel like my season is simply beginning, so I’m trying ahead to the remainder of it,” he stated.

Contracted to UAE Staff Emirates till 2027, Vine’s speedy future will probably be as a key member of Pogačar’s mountains assist in grand excursions, possible limiting his private grand tour ambitions for now.

Aussie basic classification hopes eye future success

For O’Connor, the brand new yr beckons with recent potential.

He has signed with Australian workforce, Jayco AlUla, as its grand tour chief for the following two seasons.

“It is actually an thought I’ve at all times liked, to race as an Aussie and win on an Aussie workforce,” O’Connor stated when his signing was introduced. 

Changing British rider Simon Yates, who’s becoming a member of Vingegaard’s Visma–Lease a Bike squad for the following yr, O’Connor would be the undisputed workforce chief, a job he covets.

“We’re clearly taking a look at somebody who will fill in that basic classification hole,” basic supervisor Brent Copeland stated. 

“We consider [Ben] has room for enchancment and with this workforce we will get the very best out of him.”

Getting the very best out of O’Connor has, up till now, been one thing Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale struggled to do, however together with his profession hitting a excessive level during the last month, whether or not a change of scene will probably be worthwhile for the West Australian stays to be seen.

One other Aussie grand tour hope striving for extra is forgotten man Jai Hindley.

Hindley, one in all simply two Australians to ever win the general classification at a grand tour with Cadel Evans, has had a quietish yr, a third-place general end at Tirreno-Adriatico his excessive level.

That’s right down to his new teammate at Crimson Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, Primoz Roglič.

And, as he’s locked right into a contract with the German squad till 2026, Hindley’s main position might be as chief domestique for the four-time Vuelta winner, simply because it was at this yr’s Tour de France.

Nevertheless, when the 2022 Giro champion introduced his re-signing, Hindley emphasised he could be allowed to proceed to focus on grand excursions for himself.

It suggests a really brilliant speedy future for Australia in grand tour racing for a number of years to come back.