If you’ve watched professional cycling over the last few years, you’ve probably seen Ben O'Connor in one of two states. Either he’s soloing through a mountain mist with a look of pure, unadulterated pain on his face, or he’s sitting in a post-race tent looking absolutely gutted because a podium spot slipped through his fingers.
He is, quite literally, the most honest rider in the peloton.
Honestly, Ben O'Connor isn't just another "climber." He’s a guy who wears his heart—and his suffering—on his sleeve in a way that feels almost out of place in the modern, data-driven era of marginal gains and robotic press releases. While the big three are trading blows with power meters and tactical spreadsheets, the man from Perth is usually out there just trying to "crush it" because he felt like the day was right.
The 2024 Breakout and the "Furious" 2025
You can’t talk about Ben O'Connor without looking at the rollercoaster of the last 18 months. 2024 was his masterpiece. He finally snagged that Grand Tour podium at the Vuelta a España, finishing second overall after wearing the red jersey for a massive chunk of the race. Then, he went and grabbed a silver medal at the World Championships in Zurich.
It felt like he’d arrived. Finally.
But 2025? That was a different story. It was a year that would’ve broken most riders mentally. He joined the Australian outfit Team Jayco AlUla with massive expectations, but the luck just wasn't there. A nasty crash on Stage 1 of the Tour de France effectively killed his General Classification (GC) hopes before they’d even started.
"I was furious. It's really depressing," he admitted later.
That’s the thing about Ben. He doesn't sugarcoat. He told CyclingNews that he spent most of the year frustrated because he knew the level was there, but the results weren't clicking. Yet, even in a "bad" year, he still managed to do something most riders only dream of: he won the Queen Stage of the Tour de France on the Col de la Loze.
👉 See also: The KU men’s basketball schedule is a gauntlet: Why this year feels different
He dropped Einer Rubio and Matteo Jorgenson. He held off a charging Tadej Pogačar. He pounded his chest as he crossed the line at 2,304 meters above sea level. It was a reminder that even when things are going wrong, O'Connor's "bad" days are still world-class.
Why the "Triple Crown" Matters
A lot of fans forget how rare his achievement is. By winning that stage in the 2024 Vuelta, O'Connor became one of the few Australians to win a stage in all three Grand Tours—the Giro, the Tour, and the Vuelta.
- 2020 Giro d'Italia: Stage 17 (Madonna di Campiglio).
- 2021 Tour de France: Stage 9 (Tignes).
- 2024 Vuelta a España: Stage 6 (Yunquera).
- 2025 Tour de France: Stage 18 (Col de la Loze).
It's not just about the wins, though. It's the way he wins. He’s a long-range specialist. He doesn't wait for the final 500 meters. He goes with 30km or 40km to go, betting his engine against the entire peloton.
The Jayco Move: Coming Home to 2026
Coming into 2026, the vibe has changed. He’s entering his second season with Jayco AlUla, and he’s clearly happier. Being on an Australian team simplifies things. He’s got guys like Luke Plapp and Luke Durbridge around him—teammates who actually speak his language, both literally and tactically.
🔗 Read more: What's the Score of the Navy Game? Here Is the Latest Update and Why It Matters
He recently skipped the 2025 Worlds to focus on a reset. Smart move. He’s already signaled that he’s starting 2026 early, heading back to Perth for the National Championships and the Tour Down Under.
"Being on Jayco will definitely make it a lot simpler," he said recently. He’s tired of being the lonely Aussie in European teams. He wants the structure, but he also wants the "aggressive racing" that comes with a team built around his style.
What to Expect From Ben O'Connor in 2026
The big question is whether he can find that 2024 consistency again. He’s 30 now. In cycling years, that’s peak maturity for a Grand Tour rider.
We know he can climb with the best. We know he’s a "diesel" who can sustain high power for hours. But his biggest challenge has always been the "bad day." In every Grand Tour he’s led, there’s usually one afternoon where the lights go out, or a crash sets him back.
Key Goals for the Season:
- Tour Down Under: He’s the home favorite. Expect him to target the Old Willunga Hill stage to set the tone for the year.
- The Giro/Tour Double: There’s talk about him returning to the Giro where he first made his name, but the Tour de France will always be the primary target for Jayco.
- Mindset Shift: He’s moving away from the "all or nothing" GC pressure. He’s realized that hunting stages is, in his words, "by far the most fun way to race."
The Verdict on Ben O'Connor
People often misjudge him as a "nearly" man because of those fourth-place finishes in the 2021 Tour and the 2024 Giro. That’s a mistake. In a sport dominated by freaks of nature, O'Connor is the guy proving that grit, long-range attacks, and a bit of "furious" anger can still beat the spreadsheets.
He’s not a rider who’s going to sit in the wheels and wait for a sprint. He’s going to attack. He’s going to suffer. And he’s probably going to tell the media exactly how much it sucked afterward.
💡 You might also like: Por qué los resultados del Madrid hoy dicen más de Ancelotti que de Mbappé
If you want to follow his 2026 campaign, keep an eye on his performance at the Tour Down Under this January. It’ll be the first real test of his "reset" and a clear indicator of whether the Jayco AlUla experiment is ready to pay off with a major trophy. Watch for his positioning on the climbs—if he’s active and initiating the moves rather than reacting, it’s going to be a massive year for the Perth native.
Stick to the live timing during the mountain stages; that’s where the real Ben O'Connor shows up.