Australian Jack Haig is at present totally centered on working for Bahrain Victorious teammate and GC contender Antonio Tiberi on the Vuelta a España. But that hasn’t stopped the 30-year-old from appreciating the newest success story for his nation within the Spanish Grand Tour, with compatriot Ben O’Connor seizing the pink jersey in dramatic fashion on stage 6.
Given O’Connor’s almost five-minute benefit on GC over closest rival Primoz Roglič, Haig – Australia’s most up-to-date Vuelta podium finisher, claiming third in 2021- actually charges O’Connor’s probabilities of going all the way in which to Madrid in la roja. Or on the very least, Haig says, O’Connor might observe his profession path and make the ultimate prime three.
For his half, Haig nonetheless has GC targets, too. But as he advised Cyclingnews on the stage 7 begin, the primary precedence for the Australian within the Vuelta is working for teammate Antonio Tiberi, higher positioned total and at present main the Best Young Rider’s classification.
“Everything’s going properly, I did the Tour de France and after that I had somewhat little bit of time at residence. It all handed fairly shortly, doing San Sebastian then coming right here,” Haig mentioned.
“But I’m feeling good, I’m having fun with racing in Spain. The Vuelta has all the time been good to me, so I’m completely happy to be right here. Then we have now Antonio Tiberi, who appears to be going fairly properly. So we’ll attempt for the white jersey with him and hopefully place on GC, too.”
Tiberi is at present mendacity sixth total, at 5:29, however the rider who’s at present the discuss of the Vuelta a España proper now’s race chief O’Connor, Haig’s compatriot and near-neighbour of their European residences in Andorra, too.
“He’s a very good rider, he is been fourth within the Tour and he is possibly having the most effective season of his profession. He’s simply turn into a father as properly, so maybe that is part of it, too,” Haig defined when requested how he noticed O’Connor as a racer.
“He completed fourth within the Giro d’Italia this 12 months and has bought many different good outcomes, so possibly some groups might need underestimated him right here. It could also be fairly arduous to shift him from the pink jersey and particularly the rostrum.”
As Haig defined, O’Connor’s long-distance assault and skill to achieve six minutes on the pack took lots of people without warning. But what enabled the Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale racer to do much more harm on stage 6 was the dearth of a response as soon as he had gone clear.
“I believe many guys within the peloton have been shocked at how massive the hole was on the end as a result of we weren’t going straightforward within the group,” Haig mentioned.
“However, no one took management to make a concerted effort to cut back the hole, some groups got here by at sure moments however they by no means actually made an enormous effort.”
“So all people was fairly shocked after they crossed the road and noticed the hole was six minutes. And now we’ll have to attend and see the way it performs out.”
As for his choices of making an attempt for a prime putting within the Vuelta GC like in 2021, Haig would not rule out his probabilities. But as he says “these objectives within the background, and if it occurs, it occurs.”
“The fundamental goal is to assist Antonio,” Haig, at present sixteenth at 6:11, says. “He did a very good Giro, he is an enormous expertise, the workforce has him on contract for a very long time, they usually need to attempt to develop him as a lot as doable. I’m completely happy to assist work for him.”
Apart from Bahrain Victorious’ choices, the million-dollar query for the Vuelta is how far O’Connor can go within the race lead, and as Haig observes wryly, “Primoz [Roglič] has quite a lot of work to make this time up so so hopefully it turns into extra thrilling for you guys [journalists].”
“I might additionally say, although, that Ben has a very good likelihood now to win the Vuelta. Like I mentioned earlier than he isn’t a rider with no earlier outcomes, or somebody that hasn’t already confirmed he can do three weeks fairly strongly.”
“So I believe he is bought a robust likelihood of taking the jersey [overall] and particularly now, getting on the ultimate podium.”