The transfer market has opened and Jayco Arulla was quick to announce the addition of a new rider. Ben O'Connor will spearhead the overall class for the Australian team, which has its sights set on a Grand Tour podium finish.

Ben O'Connor, who finished fourth overall in both the Giro d'Italia and Tour de France, makes the move after spending four seasons with Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale in France. He has signed a two-year contract with the Australian team, which will lose GC contender Simon Yates in 2025. In a media release from his 2025 and 2026 teams, O'Connor said, "Honestly, this is an idea I've always loved. 'I'm at a point in my career where I need to get results. I'm at a point in my career where I need to get results, so if I can do that with the Australian setup, it will be even more special. It's not every day you get the chance to race with top-level guys.

"My ambition is to continue to be aggressive and consistent and one day finish fourth overall on the overall podium in a Grand Tour. Winning is equally important and I want to get on the podium with both hands in the air as soon as I can."

O'Connor joined the WorldTour in 2017, but in the 2021 Tour de France, he surged up the overall standings with a stage 9 victory, and then kept his advantage to finish just one place short of the podium, showing the potential of the Grand Tour overall class The 28-year-old has been chasing his next Grand Tour step ever since, and the Australian team thinks he may be able to find it with the team. "In Ben O'Connor," said Brent Copeland, general manager of Jayco Alula, "we are looking for someone to fill the gap in the overall class following Simon Yates' move." We feel that O'Connor will fit in well with the team in terms of culture, which is really important to us." Luke Plapp was one of the team's key signings last year, Chris Harper showed signs of stepping up GC in the short Tour, and Eddy Dunbar was last year's Giro d'Italia seventh place showed promising signs." Copeland said, "I believe he has room for improvement in the overall class and this team will get the most out of him, and it's a very important and critical signing for us as we head into 2025. But first, O'Connor will join the Australian team for the Olympic road race on Saturday, August 3, as a replacement for the injured Plapp. He will race in Paris alongside teammate Michael Matthews and Simon Clark of Israel's Premier Tech.

When the 2024 season ends, O'Connor will likely debut his new team kit at the long-awaited Australian championships in his hometown.