Ben O'Connor produced an impressive solo win into the Queen stage into Courchevel. He made it into the breakaway, with 42km to go launched a attack at the foot of the HC climb, Col de La Loze, taking with him two riders, Rubio and Jorgenson.
On the final 26-kilometre climb, the Aussie dropped Jorgensen and then distancing Rubio with 15km of climbing remaining. Arriving to the summit finish, O'Connor celebrated at the line, 1 minute 45 ahead of Pogacar, to claim his second Tour stage win and fourth Grand Tour career victory. The Australian moves up to 10th place on GC with just three stages to go.
"I'm normally at my best on these bigger stages of the race. It was so nice to find my legs again and find my true self and it is my second Tour de France win so to do it now with Jayco AlUla, an Aussie team, it's a proud moment.
The pressure was on to get a result. We needed it as a team. I think it's pretty rare for Team Jayco AlUla to go to the Tour without a stage win, so we had to do that and to do it on the Queen stage is a big thing.
-Ben O'Connor. Jayco AlUla
Oscar Onley: Impressive 4th place
"I just did what I could there, I gave it my everything. On the Col de la Madeline it was tough. I felt good but I'm just not at the level of those guys when they attack really all out, and I think it showed at the end of the stage that they went pretty hard up there. The team did a super job to then bring me back ahead of the last climb. From there, I just dug in and gave what I had to the line. The gap now to the podium isn't much, so we'll give it everything we have tomorrow to see if we can get on there."
-Oscar Onley. He gained one minute and 39 seconds on third place Lipowitz, and not sits just 22 seconds off a podium spot in GC.
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