After seven years within the skilled peloton, there aren’t many stage races Ben O’Connor hasn’t lined up at however this yr the AG2R Citroën rider is making a race and European season debut multi function when he strains up at Tirreno-Adriatico from March 6 to 12.
O’Connor kicked off the season in his house nation, taking up the Australian Street Nationwide Championships, Tour Down Beneath and Cadel Evans Nice Ocean Street Race by January earlier than returning to Europe. After a slight delay to the beginning of his subsequent block of racing attributable to sickness Tirreno-Adriatico – which fits from Tuscany handed by Umbria, Lazio, Marche and to Abruzzo – will mark his return to the fray after simply over a month with out pinning a quantity on.
“As with each race, the target will probably be to be environment friendly and to compete with one of the best. March is a crucial month for me and for the crew,” stated O’Connor, who’s focusing on the Tour de France once more this yr.
O’Connor was meant to line up at Faun-Ardèche and Drôme Traditional final week however needed to pull out with flu, so is now getting into his first look on the seven-day occasion with out that current take a look at of kind, nevertheless the rider who got here fourth on the Tour de France in 2021 believes the terrain ought to swimsuit him.
“I’m very completely satisfied to find a brand new occasion; it’s good for a change,” stated O’Connor. “I’ve all the time cherished racing in Italy. The routes are troublesome and that fits my rider profile.”
The Tirreno-Adriatico will begin on Monday March 6 with an 11.5km particular person time trial. The following two highway phases aren’t with out their climbs however the GC ought to actually warmth up on Thursday’s stage 4 with the 219km stage ending with three circuits and a end line on the high of the Tortoreto climb. It’s then onto the queen stage with an uphill end at Sarnano Sassotetto. Stage 6 then delivers the powerful Costa del Borgo Wall – a brief climb however one the place the center kilometre sits at a gradient of 15% – after which the ultimate stretch of the stage is on filth roads. The race concludes with what’s more likely to be a remaining stage for the sprinters in San Benedetto del Tronto.
The race’s distinctive trident trophy went to Tadej Pogačar (UAE Workforce Emirates) in 2022, with Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) taking second whereas Mikel Landa (Bahrain Victorious) snared third forward of a retiring Richie Porte (Ineos Grenadiers). This yr each Pogačar and Vingegaard are taking up Paris-Good as a substitute whereas Landa is anticipated to return to the Italian race.
O’Connor could also be taking up the occasion for the primary time, however he will probably be doing it with skilled AG2R Citroën teammates. Racing alongside O’Connor will probably be Greg van Avermaet, who’s competing on the occasion for the twelfth time and gained the general at Tirreno-Adriatico in 2016. The crew additionally contains Benoît Cosnefroy, Michael Schär, Nans Peter, Andrea Vendrame and Felix Gall.
