'We can gamble a little bit more' - Onley excited about Ineos' new depth ahead of Algarve finale

Following his effort, Onley had explained how he was taking a steadier approach to the start of the season, with the ambition that when his major goals come around, he will be ready and raring to go, without the fear of burning out as the season progresses.

He was asked what the biggest changes he has noticed since joining the British team, having been with Picnic PostNL since 2021, starting with their development team. “I think this whole process and the build-up to the Tour. I mean, last year, the Tour was obviously a goal, but it wasn’t the main goal, maybe,” Onley told Domestique. 

“I kind of aimed to be going into every race in top shape, and that meant that after the Tour, I really struggled, and maybe, although I was at a really good level in the Tour last year, it can increase like one or two per cent, just going in a bit fresher and really focusing on July.”

Onley also highlighted his new environment and the individuals that make up the collective, which is pulling in the same direction. He described how he and his teammates are all striving to reach new heights, and how this can help collective growth as well as his own development. 

“Me and Kévin [Vauquelin] were talking just now that we’re all kind of similar, like a similar level, and I think it’s really going to push us and bring us up,” said Onley. “Like we all get along well, and we’ve got different characteristics, but that also means we can play off each other a bit, and I think it’s really going to bring the level of all of us up.”

Speaking of the strength and depth of the team’s climbing department, Ineos currently fields three riders inside the top seven on GC at the Volta ao Algarve, with Kévin Vauquelin in 4th, Thymen Arensman in 5th, and Oscar Onley in 7th following the conclusion of Friday’s time trial.

With the fifth and final stage on Sunday featuring a double ascent of the Alto da Malhão climb, the British team have the numbers to roll the dice and race aggressively with the trio within 1:17 of race leader Juan Ayuso (Lidl-Trek), and within 0:33 of the final podium place currently occupied by João Almeida (UAE Team Emirates-XRG). 

“Yeah again, me and Kévin were just talking about that, obviously I’m not going to say anything now, I think it’s an exciting thing,” said Onley. “This is why we brought this team to this race, to learn how we can get the most out of each other.”

“Because for at least myself and Kévin in the past, we were always a sole leader, and you know, you don’t want to take these risks because if it goes wrong, then the team comes away with nothing,” Onley explained before describing the advantages of having multiple cards to play.

“Whereas I could attack with 50km to go on Sunday, because if it goes wrong, there’s two other guys there, so we can gamble a little bit more, I think, and that’s an exciting position to be in for the whole season.”

He is well aware of what awaits on Sunday, having been in the mix on the penultimate stage of the 2024 edition, which finished atop the Alto do Malhão. On that occasion, he finished 7th on the stage behind Tom Pidcock and would eventually finish 12th overall.

“I like the climb, it suits me quite well. I’m trying to think back to the last time I did it,” said Onley. “I think I followed Tom [Pidcock] and I can’t remember who the other one was, but there were three of us and then [João] Almeida did his usual thing and came back.”

“So yeah, I think I learned a few things there and I’m looking forward to Sunday,” he concluded.