Our roundup of early-season cycling news, starting off with Jay Vine’s dominant performance — alongside teammate Jhonatan Narváez — in stage 3 of the Tour Down Under. With three stages to go, we also bring you up to speed on the women’s TDU, look ahead to the spring classics, and spend precious column-inches on…a triathlon in Antarctica?
TOP STORY:
- Vine, UAE Seize Early Lead in Australia
RACE NEWS
- Ruegg Keeps TDU Crown with Final Stage Win
- 2026 UAE Tour Routes Unveiled — and Cycling Illuminati will Be There
- Ardennes Classics Set for Epic Showdowns
- Teams & Parcours Set for Omloop Nieuwsblad
- Sixteen Kilometers Cut from Strade Bianche
RIDER, TEAM AND CYCLING NEWS
- Mackie Turns Pro with Novo Nordisk
- There’s an Airbag in Your Car. Why not in your Kit?
- And, for Those of You Who Don’t Find Bike Racing Challenging Enough…
Vine, UAE Seize Early Lead in Australia
No Pogi? No Del Toro? No Almeida? No problem for UAE Team Emirates, which took control of the Tour Down Under with a stage 3 victory by Aussie Jay Vine, a second podium spot by Jhonatan Narvaez, and a commanding team performance. Vine’s victory came at the culmination of an up-and-down day, the first “GC” stage of the first WorldTour race of the season. Before the double-Corkscrew stage, however, were a very short Prologue, and a sprinter’s Stage 1.
Watson’s Eye-Popping Prologue
Great Britain’s Samuel Watson surprised the field and the fans by winning the extremely short — 3.6km — opening stage. The Prologue pitted the sprinters, time trialists and rouleurs against one another, but it was an all-rounder, Ineos’ Watson, who donned the first Ochre Leader’s Jersey.
“It was a big, big sigh of relief for myself, yeah I’m so happy to start season with a win,’’ Watson said.
Still, Watson didn’t expect to hold the jersey beyond the opening stage, as he and his Ineos’ teammates would pledge their support to sprinter Sam Welsford, who has won six TDU stages over the last two years.
Only two other riders averaged more than 50 km/h in the Prologue: Great Britain’s Ethan Vernon (NSN Cycling Team) at 50.6km/h and New Zealand’s Laurence Pithie (Red Bull BORA Hansgrohe) at 50.2km/h. Santos Tour Down Under 2023 champion Vine was the highest-ranked Australian, in fourth place.
Lund Andresen Outspeeds Welsford & Brennan in Stage 1
Watson’s reign in Ochre indeed proved short-lived as Denmark’s Tobias Lund Andresen seized control with a commanding sprint victory in Tanunda on Wednesday. The 23-year-old Decathlon AG2R rider delivered a perfectly timed finish over 120.6 kilometers, outpacing Britain’s Matthew Brennan and Welsford to claim both the stage win and the leader’s jersey.
Andresen credited his team’s exceptional lead-out, particularly during challenging crosswinds in the final five kilometers. The stage featured drama beyond the sprint, with Bahrain Victorious rider Max Van Der Meulen hospitalized following a heavy crash into a barrier, and Tudor ProCycling’s Marius Mayrhofer forced to abandon.
Defending champion Jhonatan Narvaez demonstrated his intentions early by collecting bonus seconds at the first intermediate sprint.
Vine & UAE Take Corkscrew Control in Stage 2
Thursday’s mountainous stage from Norwood to Uraidla showcased UAE Team Emirates’ overwhelming strength as Jay Vine claimed victory and seized the overall lead. The Australian dominated the brutal 148.1-kilometer stage, featuring over 2,700 meters of climbing, including two ascents of the feared Corkscrew Road.
UAE set a relentless pace throughout the stage, shedding previous leader Andresen on the climbs. With 20 kilometers remaining, following torrid pace-setting by a classically bobbing Adam Yates, Vine attacked and teammate Jhonatan Narváez quickly chased and closed the gap, forming a powerful duo. Despite brief attempts from rivals, UAE’s control was absolute.
Yates’ pacemaking shredded the field.
Narváez’ move — pursuing a teammate who has a gap over the field — signaled utter confidence on behalf of UAE. The Ecuadorian largely sat on the wheel of Vine, who rode powerfully enough to extend the pair’s lead, and declined to contest the sprint, allowing the Australian to take the stage honors and the ochre jersey.
With three stages yet to be contested, the Tour Down Under is far from over — but (as I predicted — Mike) Vine is riding like a man possessed, and is a man well-protected by cycling’s strongest team. This race may well be in the, er…pouch.
Last year’s winner Narváez could only follow for most of the final 15 kilometers.
RACE NEWS
Ruegg Keeps TDU Crown with Final Stage Win
Swiss cyclist Noemi Ruegg (EF Education-Oatly) has made history by winning consecutive Santos Women’s Tour Down Under titles, the first rider to achieve this feat since Amanda Spratt’s hat-trick in 2019.
The 24-year-old clinched victory on Monday’s final stage at Maryvale Road, Athelstone, outwitting three UAE Team ADQ rivals in a dramatic finish. Ruegg surged ahead with 500 meters remaining, defeating Dominika Wlodarczyk, Paula Blasi, and Mavi Garcia to secure the general classification crown.
“I knew if I went into the last 500m with them, nothing can happen anymore,” Ruegg said, crediting her EF Education Oatly team’s perfect execution.
The stage featured the historic first double ascent of Corkscrew Road for the women’s tour, with gradients reaching 19.8 percent. Ruegg appeared spent after the first climb but recovered with help from world champion teammate Magdeleine Vallieres.
UAE Team ADQ’s Blasi admitted her squad “misunderstood each other” in the closing meters despite having numerical advantage.
Ruegg topped the general classification, while Ally Wollaston, winner of the Tour’s first two stages, won the sprint classification and Blasi claimed the Queen of the Mountain jersey.
2026 UAE Tour Routes Unveiled — and Cycling Illuminati will Be There
The official routes of the eighth edition of the UAE Tour and the fourth edition of the UAE Tour Women were presented this week at the Abu Dhabi Zayed National Museum. Both 2025 winners will be at their respective races — two-time world champion Tadej Pogačar and Italian champion Elisa Longo Borghini — as well as Remco Evenepoel, Isaac del Toro, Jonas Vingegaard, Jonathan Milan and Lorena Wiebes. (Wow!).
The women’s race runs February 5-8, followed by the men’s competition February 16-22. The men’s race introduces a significant addition with the new Jebel Mobrah climb in Stage 3. The 183-kilometer route culminates in a brutal 15-kilometer ascent, featuring sections averaging 12% gradient and maximum pitches of 17%. Combined with the traditional Jebel Hafeet summit finish in Stage 6 and a 12.2-kilometer individual time trial on Al Hudayriyat Island, the race offers approximately 3,600 meters of total climbing.
“This year marks an important milestone as the UAE Tour has been elevated within the UCI points scale,” said race director Fabrizio D’Amico, noting the event now ranks among the world’s most prestigious one-week stage races.
The women’s tour features three sprint stages before its decisive finale—the iconic 10-kilometer Jebel Hafeet climb, where gradients reach 11% and the race winner will likely be determined.
Both races highlight the UAE’s diverse terrain, from desert landscapes to mountain challenges, while Abu Dhabi Sports Council General Secretary Aref Al Awani emphasized the events reflect the emirate’s “commitment to excellence, innovation and sustainability in sport.”
The Men’s Route
The Women’s Route
Ardennes Classics Set for Epic Showdowns
This year’s Ardennes Classics hold promise for intense racing among both men and women, thanks to all-star fields lining up for both Flèche Wallonne and Liege Bastogne Liege.
La Flèche Wallonne will celebrate its 90th anniversary on April 22nd. The men’s race features a demanding 208.8km course from Herstal, culminating in three ascents of the iconic Mur de Huy, while the women tackle 148.2km starting from Huy’s Grand Place.
Liège-Bastogne-Liège promises even greater challenges, with the women’s race featuring its toughest-ever course. For the first time, female riders will follow the men’s exact route between Bastogne and Liège, conquering ten categorized climbs including the newly-added Col de Haussire and the legendary La Redoute over 156km. The men face a grueling 259.5km journey through the same punishing terrain.
Recent champions Tadej Pogačar and Remco Evenepoel have confirmed their participation, setting up an eagerly-anticipated rivalry. The men’s field includes rising stars like Isaac Del Toro, Ben Healy, and Matteo Jorgenson, while the women’s peloton boasts Tour de France Femmes winners Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, Demi Vollering, and Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney.
With defending champion Kim Le Court facing stiff competition and new courses adding fresh intrigue, April’s Ardennes classics promise compelling racing across both pelotons.
Teams & Parcours Set for Omloop Nieuwsblad
In just over a month, on February 28, the Flemish spring kicks off in Ghent with one of cycling’s true classics, Omloop Nieuwsblad. Among others, Wout van Aert, Lotte Kopecky, Arnaud De Lie and Tom Pidcock have already announced their presence at the opening classic.
Omloop het Nieuwsblad is traditionally the first UCI WorldTour race of the season to be held on European soil. From Ghent, both pelotons head towards the Flemish Ardennes. The men face a route of about 207 km, while this year’s Omloop het Nieuwsblad for women covers 137 km. The first half of the men’s race includes two passages over the Haaghoek-Leberg duo, which traditionally plays a key role in the opening classic. The finale is identical for both races: After the cobbles of Kerkgate and Jagerij, about 45 km from the finish, the route heads to the Molenberg, followed by a passage over Haaghoek-Leberg. After the Berendries, the riders continue to Tenbosse and Parikeberg before facing the Muur-Kapelmuur and Bosberg in the last part of the race.
In addition to all the UCI WorldTeams, seven UCI ProTeams will start in Ghent for the men’s race. Cofidis, Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team, and Tudor Pro Cycling Team were automatically guaranteed a wildcard thanks to their 2025 performances. They are joined by Burgos-Burpellet-BH, Team Flanders – Baloise, TotalEnergies, and Unibet Rose Rockets.
Sixteen Kilometers Cut from Strade Bianche
Someone was listening to PEZ…
We placed “shorter stages” on our holiday wish list, and the organizers of Strade Bianche have granted that wish, slicing not just sixteen kilometers from the race’s parcours, but sixteen gravel kilometers.
Wait — that’s not how to make a race more exciting!
The eliminated gravel sections are La Piana (6.4 kilometers) and Seravalle (9.3 kilometers). The first gravel section of the day – Vidritta – has been shortened by 50%. In total, the men tackle 64.1 kilometers of gravel roads, down from 80 kilometers. The total length of the race has been shortened by twelve kilometers, from 213 to 201 kilometers.
The women will also face fewer gravel sections on Saturday, March 7th. In the 2025 edition, the classic featured thirteen gravel sections; this time, the riders will face eleven unpaved sections.
The Men’s ProfileAfter the challenging climb of Le Tolfe, the route continues via up and down roads to the now world-famous finish in the centre of Siena, on the Piazza del Campo, after the steep climb of Via Santa Caterina.
Notwithstanding the possibility that shortening the race may be a meager attempt at “Pog-proofing,” defending champion Tadej Pogacar will indeed be back, as will former winner Wout van Aert, as well as Isaac Del Toro , Tom Pidcock (also a former winner), Ben Healy , Matteo Jorgenson , Paul Seixas , and Tim Wellens.
Thanks to Wielerflits for this content.
RIDER, TEAM AND CYCLING NEWS
Mackie Turns Pro with Novo Nordisk
Team Novo Nordisk has confirmed today Australian prospect Donovan Mackie will join the senior professional team after impressing at the team’s Talent ID camp in Italy.
The 18-year-old from Perth was recently 21st in the U23 criterium at the Australian National Championships after finishing on the podium in second place in the juniors in 2025 and gained significant experience racing in Europe.
“We are happy to be starting the new year by announcing a new addition to the pro team and extend a warm welcome to Donovan Mackie,” began General Manager Vassili Davidenko. “Donovan has a lot of potential and put a lot of hard work in over the last few months while showing a strong desire to keep developing and improving. We have a good mix of experienced riders and young neo pros, for whom 2026 will be their first fully professional season and it’s our job to help them progress and realize that potential.”
Mackie will go straight into the pro set up of the world’s first all diabetes professional cycling team and will meet his new teammates for the first time at the pre-season camp in Alicante, Spain.
“As an athlete living and competing with Type 1 diabetes to be racing with Team Novo Nordisk means a lot to me,” said Mackie. “I think it’s special to be a part of a team with a unique and powerful message.”
There’s an Airbag in Your Car. Why not in your Kit?
Following the devastating 2024 Dwars door Vlaanderen crash that ended Wout van Aert’s spring campaign — not to mention the thousands of injuries that befall cyclists of all calibers every year — Belgian engineer Bert Celis has accelerated development of his Aerobag protective system. Unveiled at the Velofollies trade fair, the technology uses sensors to detect falls through back angle and rotational acceleration changes, triggering a CO2-powered airbag that inflates from neck to hips within milliseconds.
Picnic PostNL will help refine the system during training sessions, where riders spend 90-95% of their time. The airbag allows continued riding post-deployment and deflates gradually, costing riders just 10-20 seconds. While the UCI hasn’t established competition guidelines yet, Celis expects race approval potentially by 2026.
Priced at €700-800, the Aerobag represents a modest investment compared to career-ending injuries. Already proven in MotoGP, this innovation could transform professional cycling safety standards across both training and racing.
And, for Those of You Who Don’t Find Bike Racing Challenging Enough…
2027 will see the debut of the next level in endurance competition: a triathlon.
In Antarctica.
Known as А100, this “extreme triathlon” will pit 50 athletes from around the world against each other, and against the elements on the southern tip of the earth. The organizer of the event is a triathlete and Ironman 70.3 AG world champion Ilya Slepov.
The competition will take place on King George Island in early March. The A100’s 100 kilometer race features a 1 km (0.6 mi) in the Southern Ocean at water temperature around 0°C (32°F), a 66 km (41 mi) mountain bike stage, and a running stage of 33 km (20.5 mi).
Only athletes with long-distance triathlon experience such as Ironman or Ironman 70.3 are allowed to participate. Moreover, every member of the race will have to provide a medical certificate confirming that extreme conditions will not be harmful for them. Even though A100 will be held during the most favorable period of the year, with temperatures likely ranging from -3°C to 5°C (26.6°F to 41°F), weather at the South Pole can change dramatically and catch athletes off guard with snow, fog and severe winds.
A100 team will support athletes throughout the year of training and provide guidance at every stage. Participants will be able to take part in a scientific study to track their own progress and understand how their bodies react to stressful environments such as cold, wind, isolation etc.
During competition dates athletes will be living on sailing schooners moored off of nearby Bellingshausen Station. Each boat will have a guide, who will introduce athletes to the history of the continent and show the most picturesque places in Antarctica, such as whale watching spots, icebergs of the Melchior Islands, the biggest gentoo penguin colony on the Cuverville Island, Lemaire Channel and others.
Athletes can apply to compete on the A100 website: https://www.antarctic100.com/
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