Jay Vine Triumphs at Tour Down Under After Extraordinary Kangaroo Collision
Australian cyclist overcomes mid-race crash with wildlife and multiple bike changes to secure his second Tour Down Under title
Australia’s Jay Vine delivered a remarkable performance on Sunday in the final stage of the 2026 Tour Down Under, clinching overall victory despite being knocked off his bike by a kangaroo during the race’s dramatic conclusion in the Adelaide Hills.
With roughly ninety-six kilometres remaining of the 169.8-kilometre final stage, two kangaroos unexpectedly leapt onto the road amid the peloton, triggering a crash that forced several riders, including Vine, from their bikes.
Undeterred, Vine remounted, changed bikes twice and rejoined the main group before continuing to ride strongly on the undulating course.
The Australian, who entered the stage holding a commanding lead of one minute and three seconds in the general classification, maintained his advantage through the chaos and finished safely with the peloton, securing his second Tour Down Under title in three years.
Vine’s resilience was on full display as he overcame the disruption, retaining his lead ahead of Swiss rider Mauro Schmid of Team Jayco AlUla, who finished second overall, and Australia’s Harry Sweeny of EF Education-EasyPost in third, nine seconds further back.
The stage itself concluded in a high-speed sprint won by Britain’s Matthew Brennan of Team Visma | Lease a Bike, who crossed the line ahead of Finn Fisher-Black of New Zealand and Denmark’s Tobias Lund Andresen.
The incident involving the wildlife drew widespread attention, underscoring both the unpredictable nature of outdoor racing and the unique challenges presented by Australia’s landscape.
Several riders were forced to abandon the race due to injuries sustained during the crash, including Menno Huising, Lucas Stevenson and Alberto Dainese, while Vine’s UAE Team Emirates support was significantly reduced after earlier stage incidents removed key teammates from contention.
Vine later reflected on the bizarre turn of events with characteristic humour, noting that kangaroos were among the most unpredictable hazards in Australia and that “they wait and they hide in the bushes until you can’t stop, and they jump out in front of you.” Despite the extraordinary interruption, his performance and composure throughout the stage ensured that the 2026 Tour Down Under would conclude with a memorable and hard-fought victory on home soil for one of Australia’s premier cyclists.
With roughly ninety-six kilometres remaining of the 169.8-kilometre final stage, two kangaroos unexpectedly leapt onto the road amid the peloton, triggering a crash that forced several riders, including Vine, from their bikes.
Undeterred, Vine remounted, changed bikes twice and rejoined the main group before continuing to ride strongly on the undulating course.
The Australian, who entered the stage holding a commanding lead of one minute and three seconds in the general classification, maintained his advantage through the chaos and finished safely with the peloton, securing his second Tour Down Under title in three years.
Vine’s resilience was on full display as he overcame the disruption, retaining his lead ahead of Swiss rider Mauro Schmid of Team Jayco AlUla, who finished second overall, and Australia’s Harry Sweeny of EF Education-EasyPost in third, nine seconds further back.
The stage itself concluded in a high-speed sprint won by Britain’s Matthew Brennan of Team Visma | Lease a Bike, who crossed the line ahead of Finn Fisher-Black of New Zealand and Denmark’s Tobias Lund Andresen.
The incident involving the wildlife drew widespread attention, underscoring both the unpredictable nature of outdoor racing and the unique challenges presented by Australia’s landscape.
Several riders were forced to abandon the race due to injuries sustained during the crash, including Menno Huising, Lucas Stevenson and Alberto Dainese, while Vine’s UAE Team Emirates support was significantly reduced after earlier stage incidents removed key teammates from contention.
Vine later reflected on the bizarre turn of events with characteristic humour, noting that kangaroos were among the most unpredictable hazards in Australia and that “they wait and they hide in the bushes until you can’t stop, and they jump out in front of you.” Despite the extraordinary interruption, his performance and composure throughout the stage ensured that the 2026 Tour Down Under would conclude with a memorable and hard-fought victory on home soil for one of Australia’s premier cyclists.
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