Onley The 'introverted Extravert' Riding High

Team Picnic-Post NL describe, external Oscar Onley arsenic "an introverted extrovert" who enjoys "lo-fi rap vibes", playing play and eating risotto.

Scottish Cycling reported, external really he "would beryllium targeting stages, pinch nan wide classification being a secondary aim" successful his 2nd Tour de France.

After finishing 4th wide successful nan standings, nan 22-year-old from Kelso told really his accomplishment had sparked "a dream".

By matching nan accomplishment of compatriot Philippa York (then known arsenic Robert Millar) successful 1984, Onley equalled nan best-ever decorativeness by a Scottish rider.

So who is nan caller breathtaking sanction successful British cycling? And wherever tin he spell from here?

Those who travel cycling intimately will cognize of Onley's dependable advancement since taking to nan elder ranks successful 2023 pinch his Dutch team.

But his travel started successful nan Scottish Borders, erstwhile section nine Kelso Wheelers' clip proceedings way passed correct by his beforehand doorway and he sewage involved.

Onley juggled tons of sports arsenic a kid, peculiarly cross-country running, earlier committing to nan bike.

He described himself arsenic "never nan best" arsenic a youngster, but arsenic he grew physically his results picked up.

His large breakthrough came astatine nan Tour Down Under successful 2024 erstwhile he won connected nan decorativeness up Willunga Hill for his first master victory.

The Scot past managed 2nd astatine nan Tour of Britain.

Amid each that he had to woody pinch 2 surgery collarbones owed to crashes.

This twelvemonth he has bounced back, and past period climbed connected to the podium astatine nan Tour de Suisse, winning shape 5 successful nan process.

Forged successful nan rolling hills of nan southbound of Scotland, Onley is astir astatine location erstwhile nan roadworthy gradient makes nan legs strain and is based successful nan precocious mountains of Andorra.

On nan large behemoth upland ranges, nan Alps and Pyrenees, he has announced himself to a wider assemblage pinch a memorable Tour de France performance.

Onley told ITV: "We ne'er really had nan scheme to spell for GC [general classification] successful nan beginning. It was much conscionable spot really it goes.

"To beryllium honest, I've ne'er moreover thought astir a apical 5 successful nan Tour before, truthful to get it successful my first effort successful GC is rather unthinkable and I'm excited for nan future.

"It gives maine a batch of assurance for nan upcoming races arsenic good arsenic these are nan apical guys and successful apical style successful nan biggest race. So if I tin do it present past why not successful different races?

"There was nary unit from nan team. They've handled that really good because I deliberation arsenic soon arsenic you opportunity you are going for GC, there's a batch much attraction connected you. I've conscionable taken each time arsenic it's travel really and not made immoderate other accent arsenic nan Tour is already stressful enough, conscionable to thrust and compete.

"I'm really happy pinch really myself and nan squad person managed these 3 weeks. I conjecture this is simply a really large infinitesimal successful my career. I don't really realise it yet, but I deliberation conscionable pinch talking to different riders, going guardant now we person thing to build connected and an breathtaking task for nan future, and it sparks a spot of a dream I guess."

Picnic-Post NL are entered successful nan seven-stage Tour de Pologne successful Poland, which starts connected 4 August, though a last introduction database for riders is not yet confirmed.

The Vuelta a Espana from 23 August is nan adjacent awesome arena connected nan circuit.