Jay Vine might have walked away from the 2026 Tour Down Beneath on Sunday with the second greatest profitable margins within the race’s historical past, however for a race which, from the outcomes sheet, might seem like the proper run, an terrible lot went flawed for UAE Group Emirates-XRG.
“It is actually unbelievable to have the ability to put on this jersey, however I simply kind of cannot fathom how we have had a lot dangerous luck as a group the final couple of days,” mentioned the Australian two-time Tour Down Beneath winner on Sunday.
“We have got guys within the hospital, guys which have educated very well, ready very well and, , not simply our group, but in addition different guys within the peloton.”
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UAE Group Emirates-XRG had set the scene on stage 2, with a dominant efficiency from Vine and Jhonatan Narváez to each carve out a spot of both facet of a minute on their rivals. At that second, it seemed like they’d the 2 spots on the rostrum sewn up, such was the dimensions of their benefit in a race that’s usually determined by bonus seconds.
Although on stage 4, it was solely moments into the race when Narváez crashed out, sustaining a number of secure thoracic vertebrae compression fractures, whereas Vegard Stake Laengen additionally deserted with an injured rib. Then, on the ultimate day of racing on a tricky Stirling circuit, the native wildlife added one other diploma of problem, with two kangaroos leaping into the peloton and inflicting additional crashes among the many discipline.
“I understand how it’s to lose half a season since you’ve received damaged bones, it is by no means one thing you need. Additionally, if it is out of your management, with what occurred, it isn’t good. However I am additionally extremely pleased with how we stepped up with restricted numbers,” mentioned Vine of the circumstances on the ultimate day.
Vine and his teammate Mikkel Bjerg each got here down, thankfully with out the rider within the ochre chief’s jersey being injured, however the Dane wasn’t as fortunate, and after having accomplished an enormous quantity of labor within the stage already after which serving to as Vine returned, Juan Sebastián Molano additionally dropped out of the race.
That left Vine with simply Ivo Oliveira and Adam Yates to take him via to the road, however he nonetheless arrived safely with the lead group and in consequence maintained his benefit of 1:03 to his nearest rival, Mauro Schmid (Jayco-AlUla). Such was the hole and circumstances that even UAE Group Emirates-XRG’s rivals might do little however specific each their congratulations and sympathy in the identical breath.
“You don’t want that on any director, to be choosing bike riders up off the street day after day,” Jayco-AlUla sports activities director Matthew Hayman instructed reporters after the stage, simply having walked again from speaking to UAE DS Fabrizio Guidi. “That is hectic for him and never good for anybody, they usually nonetheless got here out on prime.”
It was solely the second time that the profitable margin on the race has exceeded a minute, after the version when Pat Jonker took the general with a spot of 1:13 in 2004.
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When Vine first gained in 2023, he had eleven seconds over runner-up Simon Yates. This time it was Simon’s brother Adam who did the lead-out work, which was pivotal to creating certain the group’s plan to hit the race laborious on the ultimate ascent of the Corkscrew paid off.
“I believe, actually, the day the course received introduced with a double ascent of Corkscrew, however then with the left flip, I despatched it instantly to administration and I mentioned, ‘Look, that is clearly a course that fits me’,” mentioned Vine.
Narváez had been the group’s profitable card in 2025, however with the altered dynamic brought on by the inclusion of that climb, Vine had put within the work to arrange for the hassle he wanted to launch solo. It even went higher than deliberate for the group, with the hole bigger than anticipated and the defending champion additionally managing to carry on.
On that day, Vine secured his first stage victory on the Australian WorldTour race and carved out the GC hole he held to the tip – with the assistance of his dwindling group of teammates who had been “pulling further double shifts”.
“We laid the groundwork in the beginning of the week, however on the finish of the day, like I’ve mentioned all week, it isn’t over until it is over,” mentioned Vine.
However now that it’s, “I believe I’ve received a reasonably large bar tab to pay tonight.”
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