2025 Tour de France to be ‘number one target’ for new Jayco-AlUla recruit Ben O’Connor

Australian general classification contender Ben O’Connor is shifting his focus to the Tour de France for the upcoming season as he joins Jayco-AlUla, as confirmed by team boss Matt White.

O’Connor’s race schedule for 2025 is already taking shape, with potential targets including one-day races like Liege-Bastogne-Liege and Il Lombardia.

The 28-year-old is making the move to the Australian team following a successful season with Decathlon-AG2R la Mondiale, where he secured second place at La Vuelta a España and the World Championships Road Race, as well as a fourth overall finish at the Giro d’Italia.

“His main focus will be on the Tour de France next summer,” White shared with Daniel Benson’s Cycling Substack. “He will likely have a traditional build-up starting in February and leading into the spring, followed by a rest period before preparing for the Tour. There’s a possibility he may also compete in the Vuelta at the end of the season.”

Recognized primarily as a stage race rider, O’Connor demonstrated his potential in one-day events with his strong performance at the UCI Road World Championships in Zürich, finishing as a runner-up to Tadej Pogačar.

“His coach suggests focusing more on one-day races as he has shown promise in that area. Races like Liege suit his strengths,” White mentioned.

O’Connor’s impressive performances this year led to him finishing fourth in the final UCI individual rankings. Excited about having a rider of his caliber on the team, White hopes O’Connor’s confidence from 2024 will propel him to greater heights in 2025.

“Ben had an exceptional year and was consistently among the top riders worldwide in every race he participated in. This marks an exciting moment for us, introducing an Australian GC leader to the team,” White expressed.

“He has been able to consistently deliver outstanding performances this year, showcasing his brilliance across various events. The confidence he has gained will surely benefit him in the upcoming season. He’s eager to represent an Australian team and take on a leadership role,” White added.

While the team’s plans for 2025 are still being finalized, Jayco-AlUla has outlined their Grand Tour teams for the next season, with O’Connor expected to co-lead the Tour de France alongside one of the team’s sprinters, and also targeting the General Classification in the Giro d’Italia.

“We’ll maintain our approach of bringing both a sprinter and a GC contender to the Tour. That’s the strategy we’ve employed before with Simon Yates and Dylan Groenewegen. We have other riders like Eddie Dunbar and Mauro Schmid showing potential for the Tour as well,” White mentioned.

“Detailed planning will determine our strategy for the Giro. We aim to have a rider competing for the GC, possibly Chris Harper. While victory isn’t our primary goal, we’re aiming for a strong GC result, perhaps in the top eight,” White elaborated.