Ben O'Connor
« Something truly incredible »
«I've been close to this dream before, but to achieve it now is something truly incredible. I held on today, and I'm proud of how the time trial went, finishing in style. I was really surprised to make it to stage 19 still wearing the red jersey, and it was really nice to have that feeling that maybe one day you can win a Grand Tour. It's something I probably thought was unrealistic, especially after the Giro d'Italia, so to be this close here is really special.»
Cyril Dessel
«I am very proud of everything the team has done.»
It's an exceptional result. We know how difficult it is to finish on the podium in a Grand Tour. There was a lot of competition and adversity in this Vuelta a España. Ben seized a great opportunity on the sixth stage, putting in a tremendous performance that propelled him into the lead with a comfortable advantage. Then the whole team got caught up in the momentum of defending the red jersey. The lads were exemplary, courageous and self-sacrificing every day, defending the jersey with heart and soul and putting Ben in the best possible position to fight against the favourites who attacked him relentlessly on very difficult courses. Each of his teammates gave him the strength to push himself to the limit on every stage, every day. Today, Ben achieved another superb time, and this second place is thoroughly deserved. To finish on the podium in a Grand Tour is truly fabulous. I am really very proud of what the team has achieved.
The information
NewGen stands out in Great Britain
Rasmus Søjberg Pedersen finished second in the sixth and final stage of the Tour of Britain, beaten only in the sprint by Slovenian Matevž Govekar (Bahrain-Victorious). In the final overall standings, Tom Donnenwirth moved up one place to take third on the podium. Another rider from the DECATHLON AG2R LA MONDIALE DEVELOPMENT team finished in the top 10, with Noa Isidore taking ninth place.
1
The figures
1 : such as the number of victories by the DECATHLON AG2R LA MONDIALE team in the Vuelta Ciclista a España, and Ben O'Connor's victory in the sixth stage.
3 : such as DECATHLON AG2R LA MONDIALE's position in the team classification, confirming its first place in the same classification in this season's Giro d'Italia
5 : as the team's fifth podium finish in a Grand Tour (and its first in the Vuelta a España), following John Gadret's third place in the 2011 Giro d'Italia, Jean-Christophe Péraud's second place in the 2014 Tour de France, and Romain Bardet's second and third place finishes in the 2016 and 2017 Tours de France.
10 and 11: such as Bruno Armirail and Ben O'Connor's places in the final stage of the Vuelta Ciclista a España, a 24.6 km time trial through the streets of Madrid.
13 : like the number of days Ben O'Connor wore the red leader's jersey on his shoulders
