Ben O'Connor did not want to watch the replay of the sprint at the end of stage 5 of the Tour Down Under. He knew the outcome and he knew why.

The AG2R Citroën rider finished third behind Simon Yates (Jayco Alura) and overall winner Jay Wein (UAE Team Emirates), but missed the chance to win a stage in the Tour Down Under, a frustrating Australian He was unable to make up for his disappointing race week in Australia.

"I'm a little disappointed that I didn't win, although I'll be happier later," O'Connor told Cycling News after a frustrating race review with Irish team coach Stephen Barrett.

"I'll look back on the stage later and probably be happy with it. Compared to the Corkscrew Road stage, this run was closer to my level. It was a hard race all day today, which suits me better than pure watts per kilometer. I was one step away from the win.

O'Connor was unable to keep up with Wein, Yates, and Bilbao on the steep Corkscrew Road climb and descent into Campbeltown on stage 3. He lost 28 seconds that day, ending his hopes of a podium finish in Australia's only World Tour race.

Looking to make up for his disappointment on stage 5, the 2021 Tour de France stage winner showed his talent by jumping on Yates' wheel as soon as he accelerated on the final climb of Mount Lofty. Wein realized he had to follow Yates, and he rode off in a single bound. No one else could match the pair, and suddenly the three riders were battling for the stage win.

Yates wanted to win to avenge the disappointing race of Jayco Alura. It all came down to the final steep climb to the summit of Mount Lofty and the steep descent to the line.

O'Connor read off the finish, but due to a lack of leg strength and confidence in his own abilities, he was unable to attack on the final rise and execute his plan. He tried to accelerate late in the race, but had nothing left when Wein and Yates sprinted to the finish.

"The perfect moment was going over Simon after the last little kicker climb. I tried my best, but I didn't have the legs," O'Connor admitted.

"We were all at our limits and there was no extra click to get past him. I could have done what Michael Matthews did when he beat Mende at the Tour, but I don't know if I could dig that deep."

As the disappointment eases, O'Connor will likely see the positive side to the Tour Down Under. O'Connor's third-place finish in the final stage, which moved him up to sixth overall, earned him UCI World Tour points for AG2R Citroën.

O'Connor will spend a few days at home in Western Australia this week before competing in the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race next weekend. He will then head to Europe, racing in France and possibly Strade Bianche in Italy, to start the 2023 long season with the Tour de France once again a major goal.

By then, the Tour Down Under will be a distant memory and considered a good start to the 2023 season.

"It's a great way to start the year," said the tour's president, David B. Harris.

"It's the first time I've had a good race at the Tour Down Under.