Ben O'Connor's rapid rise in cycling has seen the 20-year-old pen a contract with Dimension Data just two year's after taking the sport. An impressive first season with the Australian Avanti IsoWhey Sports team caught the eye of several suitors but it was the South African WorldTour team and its link with the Qhubeka charity that sealed the deal as he explained to Cyclingnews.
"From when I've talked with Douglas Ryder and Rolf Aldag, it sounds like an absolutely brilliant team with a lot of rider contact and also with the main objective of the Qhubeka charity it gives a different meaning to riding. It's not just for you which I think is a really great initiate and gives you little bit more initiative and inspiration besides your own personal aspiration," O'Connor told Cyclingnews from his home in Perth, Western Australia.
O'Connor will be one of the younger riders in the 2017 WorldTour peloton at 21. He is playing the long game with his eye on a long career and won't be aiming to set the world alight in his debut neo-pro season as he explained of his aims and ambitions with Dimension Data.
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"Gradual development is what I want to achieve as a rider and to be able to keep progressing as a climber and perhaps get some sort of a result. Whether that be in young rider classifications or take an opportunity in a breakaway and be the unknown a little it," he said. "There is a feeling of satisfaction when you ride for others and you get the job done. That is a really, really good feeling and that's something I haven't really done a lot this year but when I have done, I've thoroughly enjoyed it and looking forward to that part of the job. The main ambition is to keep on developing and become the best rider that I can be."
At Dimension Data, O'Connor will link up with fellow Avanti alumni Nathan Haas and follows Chris Hamilton in progressing to the top level of the sport after spending the 2016 season with the team. In recent years, the team also sent Paddy Bevin (Cannondale-Drapac), Jack Haig (Orica-BikeExchange), Campbell Flakemore (BMC) and Richie Porte among several others. O'Connor is quick to praise team manager Andrew Christie-Johnston for his role and propelling him into the WorldTour ranks.
"Andrew gives the most amount of opportunity to each one of us riders who he thinks has talent and has faith in us and the way that the team riders to together, allows us to get the results that we do. Since I started this year with Avanti I've stepped up to that next level and his support, you can talk to him whenever you feel, whenever you need and he will help you. He's been absolutely brilliant and someone I really look to both as a team manager, and as a mentor to ask and lean upon when you need help. Andrew has been unforgettable this year."
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