Ben O'Connor: «I'm missing out on victory»
«I'm not really satisfied with my result today. I mismanaged the final and may have missed out on victory. I really wanted to win. I was hoping for a fast final climb, but it was purely tactical and I wasted too much energy unnecessarily. I should have waited because I was very strong and it could have worked.
Joao Almeida's attack didn't bother us, but it made the race fun. I prefer it when it's chaotic like today. The other stages of this Vuelta haven't been hard enough for me.
There are two days left to do better.
The number: 8
Ben O'Connor remains in eighth place overall in the Vuelta a España.
«It was a spectacular stage today, as is often the case in the Vuelta. We all thought that the breakaway would fight for the win, but the favourites had other ideas. The AG2R CITROËN team rose to the challenge with great work from Nans (Peters) and Nicolas (Prodhomme) for Ben (O'Connor), who was one of the strongest riders today.
The important thing to remember is that the legs were strong and the team spirit has been impeccable since the start of this third week. This bodes well for the last two stages, as we know that Ben can move up a few places in the overall standings and that the team is capable of winning a stage,» said Julien Jurdie, sporting director of the AG2R CITROËN team.
News: Nans Peters and Nicolas Prodhomme break away
Nans Peters and Nicolas Prodhomme broke away in the eighteenth stage of the Vuelta a Espana.
«The goal was for Nans (Peters) or me to break away today, and it worked for both of us. The organisation was special, with a lot of people involved. The overall favourites condemned it, but we were able to act as a relay for Ben (O'Connor), who was very strong today. We'll have to try again over the next two days with the aim of winning the stage or helping Ben,» said Nicolas Prodhomme.
