Our cycling news roundup, which opens with an account of one of the craziest mishaps we’ve seen in a bike race (and we’ve seen a lot). But even with a kangaroo incursion, we nearly subordinated the Tour Down Under headline to feature Mathieu van der Poel’s continued cyclocross supremacy. Yes, it’s a sweet season, with ‘cross racing winding down and road racing ramping up on the other side of the world.
TOP STORY:
- Jay Vine Wins Tour Down Under — After Being Knocked Down by a Kangaroo
RACE NEWS
- Van der Poel Completes Dominant Weekend with Historic Double Victory
- Groenewegen Secures First Win with Unibet Rose Rockets
- Pieterse Completes Dream Weekend with Double Victory
- New Course, New Climbs for Dwars door Vlaanderen
- AlUla Tour Kicks off Next Week
RIDER, TEAM AND CYCLING NEWS
- Sam Bennett Returns to Training Following AFib Treatment
- Two Ways to Support USA Cycling
- Registrations Open for UCI Mobility & Bike City Forum
Jay Vine Wins Tour Down Under — After Being Knocked Down by a Kangaroo
Yes, that’s three Australian references in a single headline: Jay Vine, today’s strongest Aussie rider; the Tour Down Under, Oz’ sole WorldTour race; and…a kangaroo, ‘Straya’s iconic creature. It’s almost too on-the-nose; only if it had happened in front of the Sydney Opera House would the crash have been more dead-on.
Not all was comical about the mid-race crash, in which the marsupial strayed into the peloton, causing several riders to hit the deck: while Vine recovered and rode to the overall TDU win, his UAE teammate Mikkel Bjerg was crashed out of the race by the ‘roo. Bjerg joined fellow UAE’er Jhonatan Narváez in the DNF ranks; the 2025 TDU champ abandoned the prior day with vertebrae fractures.
The kangaroo incident in the final stage might have made international headlines, but the final three days of racing proved broadly eventful—if slightly less cartoonish.
Vine expounding on the dangers of wild kangaroos.
Stage 3: Welsford Delivers — Again
Australia’s sprint gun Sam Welsford (INEOS Grenadiers) powered to his seventh-ever TDU win, and was visibly emotional after triumphing in the Ziptrak Stage 3. It was Welsford’s first win for his new team after two seasons at Red Bull BORA hangrohe.
“For me it’s just one of my most special one (wins),” Welsford said. “I think coming off a really hard year last year with injuries and broken bones, I lost a lot of…self-belief and also with the team last year.
“For me to come here and win on a day that probably didn’t really suit me on paper…I’m really happy with that.”
Stage 4: Vernon Nails a Heat-Shortened Day
Stage three was cut short due to the kind of heat that only South Australia in January can deliver. With temperatures pushing into the low forties Celsius — that’s 105 to us Imperial-scale users — race organizers made the sensible decision to neutralize the stage partway through, sparing riders from what might have been a dangerous slog through the Adelaide Hills. The abbreviated route meant GC contenders could save their legs, though it also denied fans the expected hilltop battle. It also minimized terrain when rivals might have attacked Vine — though he and his lead, built on a searing stage two attack, appeared unassailable.
The stage became a sprinter’s race, and Great Britain’s Ethan Vernon (NSN Cycling Team) edged out Tobias Lund Andresen (Decathlon CMA CGM Team), this Tour’s revelation and stage 1 winner, and strongman Laurence Pithie (Red Bull BORA Hansgrohe).
Stage 5: Brennan Lives Up to the Hype
In the race’s final test, Matthew Brennan (Team Visma Lease a Bike), delivered a powerful performance to claim the stage win in front of a raucous home crowd. The young Brit unleashed the kind of blistering, uphill sprint that has some pundits suggesting that he’s his generation’s Mathieu van der Poel — or Peter Sagan. Lacking anything resembling a leadout train, Brennan surfed wheels, escaped being boxed in, and hammered out an eye-popping win.
Vine rode the final stage cautiously, his team protecting him from attacks — but not, alas, from the invading kangaroo. Said Vine, “I can’t fathom how much bad luck we have had in the last couple of days. We’ve got guys that are in the hospital. I have come out unscathed, but you never want that to happen.
“All the Europeans (riders) always ask me what’s the most dangerous animal in Australia, and I tell them kangaroos. They (kangaroos) wait in the bushes until you cannot stop and then they jump out in front of you.”
Vine’s stage 2 performance was the notable moment in the six days of racing, and has some fans wondering if we might be seeing a new Grand Tour GC contender. But it was just that: a moment, in a one-week stage race against second-tier competition. Vine’s a mighty rider — and a very chill traveler — but is still a few performances shy of proving his up to riding wheel-to-wheel with his teammate Pogačar, or even rival Vingegaard.
RACE NEWS
Van der Poel Completes Dominant Weekend with Historic Double Victory
This opening sentiment comes from eTrashMike: I have a friend who’s a huge cyclocross fan. He prefers the ‘cross purists; longs for the days when a Sven Nys or a Lars Boom did one thing, and did it better than anyone else. Of Mathieu van der Poel’s chances at this year’s Cyclocross World Championships, he said, “You never know. Anything can happen at Worlds.”
The thing is, practically everything did happen to van der Poel at Saturday’s race in Maasmechelen, including two punctures, and his chief rival stumbling on the course’s most challenging feature, a steep, cambered climb, and forcing the World Champion to dismount and lose precious seconds.
The first puncture should have pierced van der Poel’s chances altogether, his front wheel deflating just after the pit, forcing him to ride gently for nearly an entire lap. Once aboard his new rig, he quickly closed the 23-second gap that he’d given up (as as well as an already-commanding lead), but then, appearing to be the one rider who would cleanly crest the tricky, grassy slope, nearly ran into the back of a fumbling Thibau Nys, and then literally went backwards and briefly lost touch with the leading group as he recovered.
Having rebuilt a lead of around 13 seconds, van der Poel, then suffered a rear-wheel flat; this one slowed him far less, and while his lead slimmed, he held it until the finish line. As he crossed, he histrionically wiped his brow, suggesting he’d very nearly not won a cyclocross race; instead, however, he did win — for the 50th time, tying Sven Nys for the most career ‘cross victories. Tibor del Grosso and Niels Vandeputte followed in second and third place, respectively, with Nys finishing just off the podium.
Claiming a record-breaking 51st victory proved far less challenging and far less dramatic.
For two laps fans and rivals could consider that the previous day’s effort lingered in van der Poel’s legs, as he rode between fifth and seventh position in a huge leading group around the extremely fast course. Thibau Nys rode at the front, but after a bobble relinquished the lead to Tibor del Grosso, who opened a small gap. Once van der Poel closed that gap and surged past, the race was over. The World Cup leader stretched his lead every lap; by the end of number eight it was over 1:30.
Van der Poel crossed the line with enough time to sit up and enjoy the win. Enough time that race officials allowed spectators to cross the finishing straight before anyone else came through. Enough time that I could step off the trainer, refill my water bottle, remount and get back up to speed before Del Grosso crossed the line.
Had van der Poel not been in the field, it would have been a heck of a race. A group of 10-12 remained intact through all but the last half lap, when Nys surged to the front. Del Grosso and Vandeputte responded and stayed close — close enough that while Nys reached the final straight in the lead, Del Grosso managed to sprint around him — as did Vandeputte, but only because Nys sat up, thinking third place was secure. The cyclocross scion was visibly frustrated after the race.
The win safeguarded the World Cup title for van der Poel, who started the season well after his competitors. He now heads to next weekend’s World Championships in Hulst seeking a record-breaking eighth elite title. With a year-long winning streak intact, it hard to see how anything will keep him from realizing his objective.
Groenewegen Secures First Win with Unibet Rose Rockets
Dylan Groenewegen earned his debut victory for Unibet Rose Rockets at Sunday’s Clàssica Comunitat Valenciana-Gran Premi València. The Dutch sprinter triumphed after strong teamwork helped him survive crucial echelon splits.
Early on, Enzo Leijnse, Jokin Murguialday, and Samuele Zoccarato broke away, with Leijnse and Zoccarato building a three-minute advantage. However, strong winds with thirty kilometers remaining shattered the peloton into echelons.
An elite seventeen-rider group formed, featuring four Unibet Rose Rockets riders including Groenewegen, alongside rivals Paul Magnier and Giovanni Lonardi. Despite the chasing peloton closing to twenty seconds in the final ten kilometers, the lead group held firm.
In the sprint finish, Groenewegen’s teammates delivered an exceptional leadout. The 32-year-old powerfully defeated Magnier and Emilien Jeannière, giving his new team their first victory of 2026 in his opening race.
Pieterse Completes Dream Weekend with Double Victory
Dutch triple-threat Puck Pieterse capped off a remarkable weekend with victories in both Saturday’s World Cup round in Maasmechelen, Belgium, and Sunday’s finale in Hoogerheide, Netherlands.
After a challenging start to the season that included a hard crash at the Dutch national championships, Pieterse claimed her first World Cup victory of the season in Maasmechelen. The Fenix-Premier Tech rider worked hard on the front, eventually breaking away with Amandine Fouquenet before securing the win over Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado. The field’s most dominant rider, Lucinda Brand, struggled at the start and recovered only to tenth place.
On Sunday, Pieterse added the Hoogerheide victory to complete a dream weekend, though the race proved more tactical. After multiple attacks and regroupings, the field swelled to nine leaders midway through the race. Pieterse launched her decisive move in the closing laps, with French rider Fouquenet briefly taking the lead after a Pieterse error.
However, the Dutch champion responded immediately, catching and passing Fouquenet on the final lap. Czech rider Kristýna Zemanová pushed hard to catch Pieterse but couldn’t close the gap, finishing second with Fouquenet holding on for third ahead of Zoë Backstedt. Brand didn’t start at Hoogerheide.
The timing couldn’t be better, as the UCI Cyclocross World Championships are scheduled for next weekend in Hulst, Netherlands. Pieterse will head to the event on strong form, seeking to improve on her third-place finish at last year’s championships.
New Course, New Climbs for Dwars door Vlaanderen
No fooling: The 2026 edition of Dwars door Vlaanderen will start April 1 in the Belgian towns of Roeselare and Waregem, respectively, for the men and the women. This year, the women’s race is part of the UCI Women’s WorldTour for the first time. The courses through the Flemish Ardennes will reveal the successors to 2025 winners Neilson Powless and Elisa Longo Borghini.
On the Wednesday before the Tour of Flanders, the men will start from Stationsplein in Roeselare for the 80th edition of Dwars door Vlaanderen. The first climb the riders will tackle is a newcomer this year: the Hellestraat. The men will also twice conquer Berg Ten Houte, Côte de Trieu, Hotond, and the cobbles of Mariaborrestraat. Also new this edition is the Onderbossenaarstraat, located 77 km from the finish, a flank of the Taaienberg with a long run-out. The route then heads towards the double loop featuring Nokereberg and Herlegemstraat.
The women will start their Dwars door Vlaanderen from the HippoLoggia site in Waregem. The 129 km course awaits features 6 cobbled sectors and 8 climbs, with the Hellestraat as the only newcomer. For the women’s peloton, Berg Ten Houte, Côte de Trieu, Hotond, and Mariaborrestraat appear once on the programme. The finale, with two ascents of Nokereberg and twice the cobbles of Herlegemstraat, is identical to that of the men.
The winners of both races will once again be able to celebrate their victory on the Verbindingsweg in Waregem. The men’s finish is scheduled for around 16:05. At 17:25, we will find out who wins the women’s race.
AlUla Tour Kicks Off Next Week
The AlUla Tour makes its ProSeries debut from January 27-31 with five stages across the Saudi Arabian desert. Tour de France green jersey winner Jonathan Milan headlines the sprinter contingent, facing Phil Bauhaus, Pascal Ackermann, and Fernando Gaviria across three flat stages.
The general classification battle centers on two crucial climbing finishes. Stage three concludes at Bir Jaydah Mountain Wirkah after a 4.9km ascent averaging 6.1%, while stage five tackles the Skyviews of Harrat Uwayrid wall. Sergio Higuita, Eddie Dunbar, and Jan Christen emerge as key contenders for overall honors.
Jayco-AlUla arrives with special motivation as the event sponsor adorns their jerseys for a fourth consecutive year. The Australian squad, defending champions through Simon Yates in 2024, pins hopes on mountain bike world champion Alan Hatherly and Tour of Guangxi winner Paul Double. Desert winds could create decisive echelons during stages one and four.
Stages
Stage 1 – 27/01: AlUla Camel Cup Track – AlUla Camel Cup Track, 158 km
Stage 2 – 28/01: AlManshiyah Train Station – AlManshiyah Train Station, 152 km
Stage 3 – 29/01: Winter Park – Bir Jaydah Mountain Wirkah, 142.1 km
Stage 4 – 30/01: Winter Park – Hegra, 173.4 km
Stage 5 – 31/01: AlUla Old Town – Skyviews of Harrat Uwayrid, 163.9 km
TEAM AND RIDER NEWS
Sam Bennett Returns to Training Following AFib Treatment
Irish sprinter and former Tour de France Green Jersey winner Sam Bennett has resumed training following a temporary medical stop following the occurrence of atrial fibrilation and subsequent evaluations carried out in recent months.
The situation was identified through medical monitoring, and the team’s medical staff immediately activated all necessary assessments in close coordination with specialist doctors. After the ablation on November 18th 2025 Sam followed a prescribed period of rest before progressively returning to riding towards the end of December.
His return to activity has been managed step by step, under continuous medical supervision and within a personalized training plan developed jointly by the medical and performance staff. In recent weeks, he also took part in the team’s training camp, following a tailored program developed by the medical and performance staff.
Team management expressed confidence in the process and in the athlete’s progression, though at this stage, there is no fixed timeline for a return to racing. The focus remains on continuing the process carefully and correctly, following medical guidance. Any further updates will be communicated officially by the team when appropriate.
To learn more about atrial fibrillation, check out PEZ’ Chuck Peña’s personal account of riding with AFib.
Two Ways to Support USA Cycling
USA cycling fans! We’re passing along two ways to support American racing — with pretty conventional, if ‘cross-flavored, and the other…a bit less so.
First, during the World Cyclocross Championships, donations to the MudFund — specifically supporting American cyclocross racers — will be matched dollar-for-dollar, up to $25,000. Anytime during Worlds weekend (January 30-February 1), just go to the MudFund’s donation site and your donation will be matched.
Second — you’re not going to believe this — you can support USA cycling by streaming or going to concerts by…Vegas-based heavy metal band Five Finger Death Punch. 5FDP, as their fans know them, is donating a portion of their 2026-2027 world tour ticket sales to USA cycling. Celebrating their 20th anniversary, the massive 48-city tour kicks off in July, with $1 from every ticket sold supporting USA Cycling’s BMX Racing and BMX Freestyle teams.
To learn more about 5FDP’s tour and their support American BMX, go to the USA Cycling announcement.
Registrations Open for UCI Mobility & Bike City Forum
The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) has announced the themes of the 2026 UCI Mobility & Bike City Forum and the opening of registrations for the event, which will take place May 10-11 2026 in Athens, Greece.
Organized in collaboration with Kyvernitis Travel Group and the City of Athens, the Forum will bring together mobility leaders, cycling advocates, National Federation representatives, public authorities, industry representatives and experts from around the world to exchange on the future of active mobility.
The 2026 Forum will begin May 10 with interactive activities organized at sites across Athens, including a community bike parade, thematic bike tours and the opportunity for participants to witness the finish of the ΔΕΗ Tour of Hellas in the city centre. The winners of the 2026 UCI Cycling for All & Sustainability Awards will be revealed during the official dinner that evening.
The main conference day will take place May 11, featuring panel discussions, case studies, expert presentations and networking opportunities. The program will cover a range of themes central to the development of cycling worldwide, including:
- sport tourism and the legacy of cycling events
- the growth of cycling tourism
- city strategies for cycling promotion
- global road safety initiatives.
As in previous years, the Forum will provide delegates with opportunities to engage directly with speakers, share successful approaches, and explore how cycling can drive healthier, more sustainable and more inclusive communities, in line with the UCI’s ongoing commitment to advancing active mobility worldwide.
Registrations for the 2026 UCI Mobility & Bike City Forum are now open. Delegates are invited to secure their place by completing the online registration form. Participation is free of charge. Additional program details, including speakers and venue information, will be released in the coming weeks.
For more information on the UCI’s Cycling for All programme, please visit the dedicated section of the UCI website. For any questions regarding the Forum, please contact the UCI at cyclingforall@uci.ch.
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Just in time for the road season — let’s look back at Richard’s first-look review of the latest in Pinarello’s F-Series.
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