Australian cyclist Ben O'Connor achieved a significant milestone on Thursday by securing his first stage victory in the Vuelta a España, completing his collection of stage wins across all three Grand Tours. O'Connor’s solo effort on stage six from Jerez de la Frontera to Yunquera not only earned him the stage win but also propelled him to the overall lead. He celebrated enthusiastically as he crossed the finish line, marking a personal triumph as his name now joins the elite list of cyclists who have won stages in all three major tours.
The stage was a challenging 185.5 kilometers, and O'Connor’s decisive move came on the penultimate climb. Despite being part of an early breakaway, he struck out alone with 28 kilometers to go, leaving the rest of the competitors behind. Italian Marco Frigo finished in second place, trailing O'Connor by four minutes and 33 seconds, while German Florian Lipowitz took third. The previous leader, Primoz Roglic, fell back to the peloton and finished six minutes and 31 seconds behind O'Connor, relinquishing the red jersey.
The stage began with a unique twist, as riders departed from inside a Carrefour supermarket before facing a category one climb shortly thereafter. A large breakaway group formed early in the race but was eventually reduced to 13 riders. O'Connor and Gijs Leemreize managed to distance themselves from the group on the second climb, with O'Connor eventually dropping Leemreize to take the stage win. This victory adds to O'Connor's previous Grand Tour stage wins at the Giro d'Italia and the Tour de France.
With this victory, O'Connor now leads the general classification by four minutes and 51 seconds over Roglic, with Joao Almeida in third place, eight seconds further back. O'Connor expressed his excitement about his newfound position, acknowledging the rarity of such an experience. Looking ahead, he plans to make the most of his opportunity in the upcoming stages, starting with the 180.5-kilometer ride from Archidona to Cordoba on Friday.
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