The place to watch the Tour de France Femmes is right here on SBS. Replays, mini stage recaps, extended highlights, winning moments and live streaming can be found on the and the SBS Skoda Tour Tracker,available for download on and from August 12 to 18.
Plapp suffered a heavy fall in the technical section of the 32.4-kilometre course and was helped off the road before undergoing abdominal surgery at a hospital in Paris.
The 23-year-old was scheduled to compete in the road race on August 3 alongside compatriots Michael Matthews and Simon Clarke but will now be replaced by O’Connor, who last raced at the Giro d’Italia in May.
“Ben has performed strongly this season and is currently in top form,” said Anna Meares, who is Chef de Mission for the Australian Olympic Team.
“He is very motivated to join his teammates for the road race.
“His talent and versatility provides the team with options in different race scenarios which is highly valuable in a race that has fewer athletes per nation and doesn’t permit the use of race radios by the athletes.”
O’Connor finished fourth overall at the Italian Grand Tour, having also achieved second place at the Tour of the Alps and UAE Tour.
The move to the Olympics – his first – comes amid preparations for the Vuelta a Espana, and though Matthews remains among the top contenders in Paris, the 28-year-old’s presence further bolsters the nation’s medal hopes in the 273-kilometre event.
As for Plapp, the Victorian continues to recover from his unfortunate crash, with Meares adding: “we expect he’ll be out of hospital this week and wish him a speedy recovery.”
