Ben O'Connor, the newest racer whose pain has been misunderstood - CyclingTips

There are 70 kilometers left of the Tour’s first major mountain stage. A TV camera was attached to Ben O’Connor, who pedaled gently beside the team car, clearly feeling the effects of the bad luck he had endured since the Tour de France began. He was offered a bidon and some food, but O’Connor focused on communicating something about his hips by shaking his head a lot and shoulders drooping. He looked like a rider about to leave him, but moments later, we were back in Australia, still on his bike as he gestured angrily to ditch the TV motto.

He went on to finish the stage focusing on transferring to his teammates, and just 24 hours later, O’Connor’s Tour de France ended.

Professional cyclists are a rare breed – that’s what we believe, and rightly so. These men and women experience excruciating and persistent pain, through road rashes, dislocated shoulders and even occasionally (not recommended) fractures.

On the Tour de France so far we’ve watched several emotional stories unfold, from a resurgent sprint victory in Denmark to Simon Clarke’s tearful underdog victory over rocky roads, and the return of Bob Jungels after years affected by endofibrosis. Elsewhere, Primož Roglič has resumed racing after resetting his dislocated shoulder (not for the first time in his career), Aleksandr Vlasov has struggled with bandages, and also affected by a previous crash, O’Connor raced to the cut in the first Alpine finish.

But is something broken in our perspective? There is hope that a rider can and should keep going even if they are completely crushed, even if they have to be lifted up and off their bike every day, like Geraint Thomas after a hip fracture in 2013 or Lawson Craddock’s heroic and foolish act. went through a serious injury in 2018.

Lawson Craddock (EF-Drapac) had his first fall at the 2018 race, suffering a broken shoulder blade and eventually crossing the line alone, 7:50 behind the stage winner. He made it to Paris.

Earlier this week, news that Daniel Osso was found to have fractured the cervical vertebra (top of the spine) after complete Roubaix’s stage was greeted not with dumbfounded surprise, but with a respectful shrug; ‘that’s cycling!’

A rider’s struggles can only be justified by thick bandages or other evidence of serious physical injury. Muscle tension? You’re just not trying hard enough.

Take it from someone who took up cycling after being diagnosed with chronic nerve pain: questioning the mental strength and fortitude of the rider, and comparing it to how other people have handled their injuries is, visible or not, unnecessary, unfair and frankly disrespectful.

While many cycling enthusiasts and journalists will have their bikes crash at some point, none of us can really appreciate what the likes of O’Connor, who came to this year’s Tour as GC AG2R-Citroën lead. after finishing fourth overall in 2021 and third at the recent Critérium du Dauphiné. The Australian has been the subject of some mild criticism in recent days, looking visibly struggling, but without any obvious injuries. And frankly, who can blame him for some of the mental mess on top of that, which is equally valid.

“I didn’t get a rash on the road, it’s really just a muscle injury, so maybe it doesn’t look too dramatic,” he told CyclingNews ahead of Sunday’s stage 9. do nothing about it, you know?

“I’m pretty much pedaling on one leg. So, yeah, it looks a bit dreary, and I guess I’m losing my mind. But really, I really can’t push.”

It didn’t take much imagination to recreate the conversation in the AG2R car on Sunday afternoon, but after whatever persuasion or reassurance he received, O’Connor managed to finish the stage about half an hour after his teammates, ready to celebrate an inspiring victory. .

Thankfully for the Jungels, whose comeback win will help take his Australian team-mate’s mind off his now badly damaged Tour ambitions, not to mention doubts about his form.

In a sense, O’Connor should have been home a few days ago. If not after the stage 2 crash and losing the next time, then after repeated attacks on his body that led to further crashes, at least the glute tore on Saturday’s stage to Lausanne. Mental strength and endurance are necessary traits for professional athletes, and if there is an opportunity to recover and the opportunity to take it, as on the Grand Tour, then perseverance comes without question. But where is the limit?

The concussion protocol is fairly new to cycling, like most major sports, and maybe we need to take this mindset and stretch it a little further; tell O’Connor there’s absolutely no shame in going down, ‘Mate, go home, rest and prepare to destroy Vuelta.’

Tour de France, Paris-Roubaix, World Championships – it’s understandable that finishing one of these events, or simply being able to reach the starting line the next day, is a matter of pride, hope and resilience on the part of fans and fellow riders. inspiration, but the boundaries are blurred.

Cycling is a sport that so often glorifies suffering, and only certain types of suffering. We expect too much from a group of athletes pushing their bodies and minds beyond imaginable limits, at least in part for our amusement. It’s time to give them a damn break.

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