Mike O'Connor
Australian Grand Tour contender Ben O’Connor will return to French team Decathlon CMA CGM in 2027, signing a two-year contract after two seasons with Jayco AlUla.
The move brings O’Connor back to the team where he enjoyed some of the biggest results of his career between 2021 and 2024. He will remain with Decathlon CMA CGM through to the end of 2028.
“My greatest achievements to date have been with DECATHLON CMA CGM, so having the opportunity to return to an environment where I’ve already found success is incredibly exciting,” O’Connor said.
“Over the past two years, the team has shown a real commitment to evolving and innovating in pursuit of peak performance. I can’t wait to get started and write the next chapter of this story together.”
O’Connor joined Jayco AlUla for the 2025 season after four years with the French outfit, which raced under different names during his first stint.
While his time with the Australian team produced a Tour de France stage win in 2025, his overall results were otherwise relatively modest compared with the heights he reached previously.
His breakthrough with the French team came in 2021, when he won stage nine of the Tour de France with a solo ride into Tignes. He followed that with a stage victory at the 2024 Vuelta a España, where he finished second overall after wearing the race leader’s red jersey for 13 days.
The Vuelta result cemented O’Connor’s status as one of Australia’s leading Grand Tour riders, having already finished fourth overall at the 2021 Tour de France and third at the 2021 Giro d’Italia.
His Tour de France victory with Jayco AlUla last year came on stage 18, when he rode solo to the finish at the Col de la Loze. However, he was unable to replicate his previous Grand Tour consistency across his two seasons with the team.
O’Connor’s return comes as Decathlon CMA CGM looks to strengthen its stage-racing ambitions. The team has been investing in its performance programme and roster, with O’Connor bringing valuable Grand Tour experience and proven climbing ability.
His arrival also follows the departure of Felix Gall, who has been an important general classification rider for the squad.
Mike O’Connor – A keen cyclist, runner and photographer, Mike O’Connor is the Editor of Bicycling Australia. He manages the BA website and social media, and loves promoting the achievements of Australian cyclists.
