Ben O’Connor lost several seconds in today’s stage of the Giro d’Italia 2024. The Decathlon Ag2r La Mondiale climber in the final kilometers of the final climb of Passo del Brocon was unable to keep up with his direct rivals for the final podium. The Australian rider finished the stage in 12th position, accusing a gap of about 40 seconds from the small group formed by Antonio Tiberi, Daniel Martinez and Geraint Thomas. Speaking to our microphones in the aftermath of the stage, the 28-year-old from Perth admitted to having breathing difficulties and hoping to be at his best for Saturday’s tough stage.

What happened in the last kilometers of today’s stage?
“I was struggling to breathe, I’m fighting against something, I was a bit mediocre today and I’m a bit sad because I wasn’t at my best.”

In the last few days after the finish we often see you coughing, why is that?
“Yes, I think I caught something. I hope I can give my lungs a rest tomorrow and then be ready for the last two stages. I’m not at my best right now but I hope to be okay for Saturday.”

What were the biggest difficulties in the route of this stage?
“Today’s stage was really very hard, also because of the weather and the difficult descents on wet roads. They made this a day where you can’t turn off the switch.”