Ben O’Connor completed his collection of stage victories in all three of cycling’s Grand Tours by winning stage six of the Vuelta a España on Thursday, and also took the overall lead after his solo run left everyone behind.
O’Connor was part of a breakaway group early in the race but by the penultimate climb and with 28 kilometres left to race, the Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale rider went for glory on his own, punching the air in celebration as he crossed the line.
Italy’s Marco Frigo (Israel-Premier Tech) came in second, four minutes and 33 seconds behind the Australian, with Florian Lipowitz finishing third.
The sixth stage bizarrely started from a Carrefour supermarket in southern Spain, with the 176 riders making their way past marketing banners on their way out to the road.
The three-time former champion Primoz Roglic began the day top of the general classification but O’Connor took the red jersey from the Slovenian after his impressive ride on the 185.5km stage from Jerez de la Frontera to Yunquera.
