2024 UAE Tour Stage 3 | Results and Report

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Ben O’Connor secured a remarkable victory on Stage 3 of the UAE Tour, marking his first mountain race win in quite some time. The Australian rider’s stellar performance propelled him to the top of the podium in a thrilling display of strength and determination.

Reflecting on his victory, O’Connor praised his teammates for their exceptional support throughout the race. “It’s been a long time since I’ve won a mountain race. It was incredible. The boys were very good today,” he remarked. “It’s my second win of the year, which is really good. I wasn’t confident about a sprint finish, so we decided to give it our all in the last kilometer.”

O’Connor recounted the intense final moments of the race, highlighting the efforts of his teammates and his own perseverance. “Valentin Paret-Peintre almost took me out of his wheel when he attacked, but we managed to pull ahead, and I kept going right to the end,” he explained. “I felt really good all day, even with the wind. It’s good to be in the race for overall victory before Jebel Hafeet (Ben is 2nd overall).”

Sports director Sébastien Joly commended the team’s strategy, emphasizing the meticulous execution of their plan. “The tactics put in place on stage 3 of the UAE Tour were applied to the letter,” he said. “Ben O’Connor was really strong, and this is a great collective victory.”

Thanks to O’Connor’s triumph on the challenging ascent of Jebel Jais, the DECATHLON AG2R LA MONDIALE team clinched its first World Tour event victory of the season, marking a significant achievement for the squad.

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