Oscar Onley satisfied after first climb test as INEOS rider: "A good start"

Oscar Onley is competing in the Volta ao Algarve in his first race days as a rider for INEOS Grenadiers. The Brit, who switched from Picnic PostNL last winter, finished fourth in the first mountain stage to Alto da Fóia. "A good start," he concluded after the race in front of our camera.

"It was the first time this season that I really went deep. That’s still something to work on," said Onley. "It was going well until there was a crash in front of me," referring to a slide by Brandon McNulty just before the race truly ignited on the final climb. Joao Almeida, Juan Ayuso, and eventual winner Paul Seixas broke away at this point. "I had to chase back. That probably cost me some energy for the finale."

INEOS Grenadiers riders Kévin Vauquelin and Thymen Arensman were also in the group of chasers, but according to Onley, it made no sense to put them on the front. He decided to take the leap himself, together with Matthew Riccitello. "When it’s steep, you can’t do much for each other. It just comes down to the legs."