Ben O'Connor of Team Jayco AlUla has declared his form is on the rise as he targets a strong performance at the Tour of the Alps, his final preparatory race before a major general classification tilt at the Giro d'Italia. The Australian rider recently completed a significant altitude training block spanning Andorra and Sierra Nevada to hone his condition for the season-defining objective.
The Tour of the Alps, a demanding five-day stage race through the mountains, serves as the perfect proving ground. O'Connor has a long-standing affinity for the event, which features a mix of grueling ascents and tactical stages that often produce aggressive racing.
"I'm on the up. After an altitude block between Andorra and Sierra Nevada I feel ready, and I'm aiming to be competitive at the Tour of the Alps. It's a race I've always loved," O'Connor stated.
The parcours for this year's edition is particularly brutal, with multiple summit finishes. O'Connor pinpointed the first of these as a critical moment in the race. "It's a really demanding race. The summit finish at Martell is a first key moment, and there are stages that invite long-range attacks," he explained.
This challenging route is precisely what the rider needs with the Giro d'Italia looming. He believes the balance of climbs on offer in the Alps provides an ideal final test. "Ahead of the Giro d'Italia, the Tour of the Alps is the perfect fixture. It has both longer climbs and punchy finishes - an ideal balance at this point in the season."
The competition will be fierce, with many top riders using the race for the same purpose. O'Connor is choosing to block out the noise and focus solely on his own performance and physical readiness. "The level is always very high. There's no point going through the list of strong riders I'll face - I'm focused on myself and on my condition," he said.
A strong showing in the Alps will provide the final boost of confidence needed for O'Connor as he travels to the start line of the Giro d'Italia next month. His entire early season has been built around peaking for a run at the maglia rosa, making his performance this week a crucial indicator of his readiness for the grand tour.