Australian cycling sensation Jay Vine has triumphed at the 2026 Tour Down Under, securing his second victory in the prestigious event after a dramatic final stage marred by a kangaroo collision. The UAE Team Emirates rider celebrated with his young son Harrison in Adelaide, capping off a remarkable comeback from the incident that threatened to derail his campaign.
Dramatic Final Stage Sees Vine Hold On Amid Chaos
Vine maintained his Tour Down Under lead in the most challenging circumstances imaginable, with a kangaroo causing the Australian and several other competitors to crash during Sunday's decisive stage. The marsupial bounded onto the course unexpectedly, creating chaos among the peloton and leaving multiple riders on the tarmac.
Team Emirates Suffers Significant Losses
While Vine managed to continue racing after the collision, his team suffered substantial setbacks. Danish teammate Mikkel Bjerg was forced to abandon the race with injuries sustained in the kangaroo incident, which occurred with 95 kilometres remaining. Colombian rider Juan Molano also withdrew separately, leaving Vine with only two teammates – British star Adam Yates and Portuguese cyclist Ivo Oliveira – for the crucial final kilometres.
Several other competitors were also compelled to exit the Tour due to crash-related injuries, highlighting the severity of the incident and its impact on the race dynamics.
Commanding Performance Secures Historic Victory
Despite these challenges, Vine demonstrated why he entered the final stage with a commanding one minute and three seconds advantage. The Australian proved to be the strongest rider throughout the competition, with his substantial buffer proving insurmountable for his rivals.
Compatriot Pat Jonker remains the only other Tour winner to secure victory by more than a minute, having achieved a 1 minute 13 second margin back in 2004. On two previous occasions, the overall result has been determined by countback, making Vine's decisive victory particularly noteworthy.
Stage Victory Goes to British Sprint Specialist
While Vine claimed the overall title, the final stage victory went to British sprint ace Matthew Brennan of Visma-Lease A Bike. A four-rider breakaway group, including last year's overall runner-up Javier Romo, established an early advantage but was reeled in well before the finish line.
Record-Breaking Stage Presents Additional Challenges
This year's final stage set a new record as the longest in Tour history at 169.8 kilometres, following Saturday's stage at Willunga being shortened from 176km to 131km due to bushfire risks. The eight circuits at Stirling in the Adelaide Hills featured 529 metres of climbing per lap, resulting in a leg-sapping total ascent of 3,436 metres for the stage.
Although temperatures were lower than Saturday's 40C-plus conditions, riders still contended with mercury readings in the 30s throughout the challenging route.
Australian Contenders Make Their Mark
Australians Luke Plapp of Jayco AlUla and Rob Stannard from Bahrain Victorious featured in a four-rider break that built a lead exceeding three minutes at one point. However, the peloton never allowed them excessive leeway, with the remnants of the break being caught at the start of the final lap.
Plapp's Swiss teammate Mauro Schmid began the stage in second position overall, with Jayco AlUla exploring various tactical approaches to challenge Vine's leadership. However, they recognised that displacing the dominant Australian would require something extraordinary.
Fellow Australian Harry Sweeny of EF Education Easypost delivered an impressive performance to hold third overall at 1:12 behind the winner.
Protest Disruption Adds to Event Drama
The Tour experienced further drama when four protesters, demonstrating against Santos as the event's title sponsor, were arrested after attempting to disrupt the racing. This incident added another layer of complexity to an already eventful day of competition.
Vine's victory celebration included sharing the podium with young rider winner Andrea Raccagni from Italy and king of the mountain winner Martin Bugge Urianstad from Norway, marking a triumphant conclusion to a Tour Down Under edition that will be remembered for its extraordinary challenges and remarkable sporting achievement.
