Ben O’Connor makes his debut with Jayco AlUla on the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana in Spain on Wednesday, taking over João Almeida and Brandon McNulty (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), Lenny Martinez (Bahrain Victorious) and fellow Australian Jai Hindley (Reb Bill-Bora-Hansgrohe).
The five-day Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana begins with a 34.3km group time trial on Wednesday and ends on Sunday with a stage for the sprinters in Valencia. The total classification can be selected stage 2 to Benifato and stage 3 to Alpuente. Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek), Kaden Groves (Alpecin-Deceuninck) and Ethan Vernon (Israel-Premier Tech) are anticipated to contest any dash finishes.
O’Connor mentioned he was searching for the ‘first massive results of the season’, with Jayco AlUla additionally choosing Jasha Sütterlin, Bob Donaldson, Jelte Krijnsen and the skilled Michael Hepburn and Chris Juul-Jensen.
“It can be my first time on the Volta Comunitat Valenciana however above all, it is my first race with my new group,” O’Connor mentioned.
“Since I began my skilled profession, I all the time knew that, ultimately, I might be a part of the GreenEdge household. For us Australian riders, Team Jayco AlUla stays the reference group and I’m very proud to be right here.
“My purpose is to offer my finest and get the primary massive results of the season. We have a really aggressive group, which may do effectively on the TTT after which it is going to be as much as me to be robust on the various climbs of the Spanish race.”
Jayco AlUla missed out on the Tour Down Under however Mauro Schmid made amends by successful Sunday’s Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race.
O’Connor was among the finest stage race riders of 2024, ending second on the UAE Tour, fourth on the Giro d’Italia after which second on the Vuelta a España after spending two weeks within the chief’s jersey. He ended the 12 months with second behind Tadej Pogačar on the UCI Road World Championships.
O’Connor, fourth within the 2021 Tour de France, will lead Jayco AlUla within the Grand Tour in July.
“I’m undoubtedly going to return to the Tour although, that is for certain. That’s in all probability the primary intention, I’d love to offer that race one other crack and see the way it finally ends up,” he advised Cyclingnews in the course of the winter.
“To be an Aussie GC man, going to the Tour with an Aussie group; I do not know in the event that they’ve actually had that earlier than,” mentioned O’Connor.
“I believe that is an thrilling factor for Aussie biking, to be sincere.”
O’Connor spent the winter at his European base in Andorra, having fun with time along with his child daughter Josephine, who was born in the summertime and coaching along with his new teammates.
“It’s early season after all however we nonetheless have ambitions right here. It’s the primary race for Ben O’Connor with the group and his preparation has to date gone all to plan,” directeur sportif David McPartland mentioned.
“We will intention to do an excellent race with him within the GC. First, we now have the tremendous vital TTT on stage one. This will set the scene for the next phases and the way the race unfolds.
“The week total is a strong one with three of the 5 phases comprising greater than 3,000m of climbing. There can also be the final stage and doubtlessly one of many lighter mountain phases the place we may even see a lowered bunch dash and for that, we now have one other new member in Jelte Krijnsen for a outcome.”