Ben O'Connor's opening day of racing in the 2022 season at the Vuelta a Andaulcia Ruta del Sol left the Australian pleased with how his AG2R-Critroèn team worked collectively, but puzzled at how the peloton managed to slip up by letting a day-long break of non-favourites stay away.
After gaining nearly 15 minutes at one point, the early breakaway of eight riders made it to the line with 37 seconds to spare. Having defied the odds and fended off the big-name teams, the stage culminated in an unlikely but richly deserved win for outsider Rune Herregodts (Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise).
"The time gaps [on race radio between the peloton and the break - Ed.] were fine, everyone was just not wanting to take it up, so it's a weird one, just one of those days," O'Connor told reporters.
O'Connor said that the collective indecision was due to "everyone looking at each other. It was a bit ridiculous. Everybody mucked up."
The escape reached Iznájar with 90 seconds up their sleeve as they fought for stage victory on the steep slopes of the final 1500 metres. The six remaining riders in the break then opened up in the final 150 metres, with Herregodts taking the victory ahead of Stephen Bassett (Human Powered Health) and Ander Okamika (Burgos-BH).
On a personal note the 26-year-old, who last year came fourth overall at the Tour de France, said he was pleased with how his performance had gone on his 2022 debut. The rider finished within the bunch in 22nd place, despite having "a bit of bad luck."
"I dropped my chain on the descent" – the fast downhill just before the final drag uphill into Iznajar – "and lost my position, so I had to do a whole lot of work to get back on."
"But it was good to be back, I really loved that we showed we raced as a team. It was just a bit tough about what happened [with the break] at the start."
