Ben O’Connor has defied the chances to extend his lead on the finish of the primary week of the Vuelta a Espana and stay in pole place to change into solely Australia’s third biking Grand Tour winner.
The person from Perth had seemed susceptible to dropping a bit of time to his nearest pursuer Primoz Roglic within the Sierra Nevada mountains on Sunday after squandering practically a minute of his lead behind the victorious Slovenian in Saturday’s much less demanding stage.
But on a day when Britain’s Adam Yates produced the identical form of race-altering solo win that O’Connor had delivered on stage six, the brave Australian really turned the tables on three-time champ Roglic within the brutally sizzling situations on the finish of the ninth ‘queen’ stage from Motril to Granada.
Whereas Crew UAE Emirates ace Yates went it alone to win the stage by one minute 39 seconds from Richard Carapaz, O’Connor confirmed big dedication to take the group dash end for third, 3:45 behind the winner, selecting up 4 bonus factors within the course of forward of eighth-placed Roglic.
It meant the Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale staff chief, who’s searching for to emulate Cadel Evans and Jai Hindley as Aussie Grand Tour winners, really elevated his general benefit within the GC standings to three:53 going into Monday’s most welcome of relaxation days.
“Each second counts,” beamed the 28-year-old O’Connor, who’s Australia’s top-ranked street rider.
“I did not lose time right now — to some guys, sure — however I believe ultimately I confirmed my actual capability, and what I can do. So I am proud.
“We have been all a little bit bit cooked however I am tremendous proud of how we have been as a staff. We have been actually, actually composed, led from the entrance after we wanted to, and Felix (Gall, his key domestique) was wonderful on the ultimate climb. It confirmed we’re right here to nonetheless battle.”
Englishman Yates had made his extraordinary break 58 kilometres from house after being superbly arrange by the laborious slog of his Australian UAE Crew Emirates colleague, Jay Vine, and was rewarded for his maiden Vuelta triumph by transferring to seventh within the standings, 5:30 behind O’Connor.
However the risks are multiplying within the battle for the purple jersey for O’Connor, with Ecuador’s former Olympic champ Carapaz wanting robust as he moved into third general, 4:32 behind the Aussie.
“I by no means suffered like this earlier than. It is so sizzling on the market. I’ve had plenty of unhealthy luck down the years in Grand Excursions and actually did not know if I might make it however I am simply so glad I might lastly win a Grand Tour stage,” stated the usually unflappable Yates, who was decreased to tears by the draining emotion of his victory.
He paid tribute to Vine, who’s getting again to his finest after his horror crash on the Basque Nation tour in April when he suffered a number of damaged vertebrae, together with a cervical fracture and two thoracic backbone vertebral physique fractures.
AAP