Tour Down Under stage 1 LIVE: A day for the sprinters

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2026-01-21T03:30:33.406Z

Battle for position for the sprinters’ teams with 3km to go!

2026-01-21T03:30:09.768Z

Tim Tom Teutenberg is on his Lidl team, getting into position.

2026-01-21T03:29:24.874Z

Welsford is sitting on his teammate’s wheel, the ochre jersey Watson.

2026-01-21T03:29:02.642Z

Last minute dash to get to the front on the wide road. Ineos moves up but they look behind them for Welsford.

2026-01-21T03:28:27.816Z

Alpecin coming forwards on the right side of the road. Wind coming from the left hand side. Soudal has the good side of the road, as EF also move up.

2026-01-21T03:27:30.129Z

Ineos lost positions when Paleni was caught as Soudal-Quickstep moves up, they are working for Alberto Dainese.

2026-01-21T03:26:32.833Z

Paleni is caught with 7km to go.

2026-01-21T03:25:51.289Z

Peloton speeding down, going 100.1 kmph on the descent.

2026-01-21T03:25:00.528Z

Enzo Paleni (Groupama- FDJ United) is the last rider to survive from the breakaway

(Image credit: Getty Images)

2026-01-21T03:23:24.638Z

Paleni has 18 seconds with 10km to go.

2026-01-21T03:19:46.803Z

And now Paleni continues solo inside of 13km to go. His gap is 12 seconds.

2026-01-21T03:19:20.256Z

Urianstad gets maximum points again and Paleni is second across the line.

Peloton was 12 seconds behind.

2026-01-21T03:17:28.064Z

Urianstad looks behind him before taking over the pacemaking as the get close to the top.

2026-01-21T03:16:24.857Z

Urianstad and Paleni are still pushing with 1.8k to the top of Menglers Hill. They have 21 seconds on the peloton.

2026-01-21T03:11:45.638Z

Riders are taking risks, using the gravel sections at the side of the road to try and move up or stay into position.

Visma’s Tim Rex continues to set the pace, closing the gap to 29 seconds with 18km to go.

2026-01-21T03:10:05.667Z

And Ineos is back at the front, along with Visma.

Picnic PostNL is also jostling for position for Casper Van Uden. EF getting organized too, as Martin is back in the field.

2026-01-21T03:08:25.307Z

Gap is now down to 55 seconds. Tudor has moved up to the front for their sprinter Maikel Zijlaard to get into the best position for the climb coming up.

2026-01-21T03:07:16.079Z

Martin leads the trio across the line and gets a total of 6 bonus seconds on the stage. Urianstad was second across followed by Paleni.

Martin told his teammate Paleni good luck and sat up.

2026-01-21T03:05:21.063Z

Break sees 2km to go to the intermediate sprint #3. Last time, Martin crossed first to get 3 bonus seconds.

Martin lost 28 seconds in the prologue yesterday, and is trying nibble seconds to improve his standings.

2026-01-21T03:01:30.259Z

ARA Australian team is moving up to get Liam Walsh into a good position before the climb up Menglers Hill for the third and final time.

2026-01-21T03:00:32.370Z

Sprinters’ teams do not want to catch the break too early, because it would lead to chaos and more attacks from the teams that do not have a top sprinter.

2026-01-21T02:59:47.642Z

Peloton has still a slight pause in the chase led by Visma’s Tim Rex.

Gap is 1:11 with 26km to go.

2026-01-21T02:54:51.533Z

Mark Renshaw is starting his time as sports director at new team Decathlon CMA CGM in familiar territory, having raced 16 editions of the Tour Down Under before retiring at the end of 2019.

“It’s great for me,” said Renshaw of kicking off the season in South Australia and embraces the challenge ahead at the French team who finished seventh in the UCI rankings in 2025 looks to shift up the rankings.

“We’re top five teams in the world – we have a budget that reflects that, we have riders that reflect that so now we need the results.”

Tanunda presents an opportunity for the squad to start getting results on the board with Tobias Lund Andresen, another newcomer to the team but certainly not to the race. He had three stage results in the top 7 last year while racing with Picnic PostNL and then went on to find his way to the top step at the Surf Coast Classic.

2026-01-21T02:53:20.434Z

Peloton scream into Tanunda, and the gap has tumbled down to 1:09.

Still Visma’ Filippo Fiorelli is at the front, followed by Ineos squad lined up with ochre jersey Watson safely behind his teammates.

2026-01-21T02:51:24.797Z
Bell lap – 31.5km to go

Break, with Guillaume Martin and Enzo Paleni (both Groupama) and Martin Urianstad (Uno-X) cross the finish line and get the bell.

2026-01-21T02:48:32.784Z

While Welsford and Brennan are the sprinters to watch, other fastmen in the field include Danny Van Poppel (Red Bull) who was Welsford’s leadout man last year, Luke Lamperti (EF Education), and Australian criterium champion Jensen Plowright (Alpecin).

2026-01-21T02:45:18.150Z

After the descent, the peloton regroups and uses the whole road. Ines, Visma,Jayco, Bahrain are all massing at the front.

2026-01-21T02:44:38.596Z

For the first time today, a Jayco rider comes to the front as the field speeds down the descent before a left turn.

2026-01-21T02:43:26.000Z

That fall ignited the peloton. The speed is ramping up at the front with 40 km to go.

2026-01-21T02:42:07.804Z
Crash

Rider went over his bike, seemed to go off the edge of the road, at the back of the peloton. More info when we have it.

2026-01-21T02:38:54.627Z

Just like the first up the KOM, Urianstad crosses first to take the 5 points, but this time around Martin was second and Paleni was third.

Urianstad now has 10 points, and Martin and Paleni each have 5 points. The Norwegian should get the mountain jersey after stage 1.

2026-01-21T02:35:48.017Z

Break sees 1km to the top of Menglers Hill, and Urianstad is at the front.

2026-01-21T02:30:25.923Z

Former world champion Michal Kwiatkowski is chatting his Ineos teammate, both are lined up behind the whole team.

Visma and Ineos are controlling the gap to the break, both teams betting on their respective fastman Matthew Brennan and Sam Welsford in the expected bunch sprint.

2026-01-21T02:25:47.829Z

And now the road will start to go up, as the riders head towards Menglers Hill for the second time.

2026-01-21T02:23:38.615Z

200 metres to go to intermediate sprint #2 and Urianstad sits in third wheel.

And the break simply rolls through the line led by Martin, and then Paleni.

2026-01-21T02:21:50.767Z

Peloton is ramping up, as the break sees 1km to the second intermediate sprint. Their gap is now 1:48.

2026-01-21T02:17:56.048Z

Seeing the impact of the wind on the three riders in the break, and in the peloton.

So far, wind has not been strong enough to create chaos but the riders at the front are riding in a diagonal line.

2026-01-21T02:14:38.319Z

Bahrain Victorious has provided an update on Max van der Meulen who went down hard in the crash earlier on stage 1.

Best wishes to Max.

🇦🇺 #TourDownUnder | ST 1🏥Max van der Meulen was transported by ambulance to hospital following a crash on stage 1. The team confirmed that he was conscious and communicating on the way. We wish him a speedy recovery and will share further updates when available.#RideAsOne pic.twitter.com/A64fjyYRoiJanuary 21, 2026

2026-01-21T02:12:16.245Z

Peloton flies through the finish line in Tanunda, led by a Visma rider, followed by Ineos.

Visma is working for the sprinter Matthew Brennan for the stage win. They want to have a bunch sprint finale.

2026-01-21T02:08:08.941Z

The 3-rider break crosses the finish line to start lap 2, and they have 2:18 on the peloton with 63.1km to go.

2026-01-21T02:06:34.408Z

Lucas Hamilton (Ineos Grenadiers) is the man at the front of the peloton

(Image credit: Getty Images)

2026-01-21T02:04:42.637Z

Quick wheel change from his Tudor team car for Marius Mayrhofer and he quickly gets going again.

2026-01-21T02:03:51.857Z

Threat of cross winds as more teams mass at the front. Jayco, Red Bull join Ineos and Visma at the front as the field is spread across the road.

2026-01-21T02:01:08.917Z

Peloton approaching 100kmph on the descent. Nerves of steel on the sweeping turns for the riders.

2026-01-21T01:58:57.700Z

Ineos lined up at the front with one Visma riders sitting second wheel. The rest of Visma is lined up behind the Ineos team.

Break has 2:31 with 71km to go.

2026-01-21T01:57:05.725Z

Confirmation of the KOM #1 results:

1- Martin Urianstad (Uno-X Mobility)

2- Enzo Paleni (Groupama-FDJ United)

3- Guillaume Martin (Groupama-FDJ United)

2026-01-21T01:53:04.966Z

Urianstad goes to the front but no sprint for the mountain points.

So throwing the theory out of the window, Martin is not going for the KOM points.

2026-01-21T01:50:39.500Z

Paleni is at the front with Martin on his wheel. Obviously, they want the KOM points but will Urianstad who is sitting third wheel, be a joker?

2026-01-21T01:49:46.721Z

Ouch. Greenwood talks with his team car and sits up and will wait for the peloton to absorb him.

2026-01-21T01:48:23.091Z

Greenwood gets on the radio as the gap to the break is going back up, now at 37 seconds as the road starts going up.

Trio of Martin, Paleni and Urianstad is 2:20 ahead of the peloton.

2026-01-21T01:46:22.786Z

Break is about 4km to the first KOM of the day, the return of Menglers Hill.

We’ll see three ascents of its more modest northern side: a 2.1-kilometre, cat. 3 push that offers 79 metres of vertical and an average gradient of 3.9 per cent

2026-01-21T01:43:17.684Z

The trio has not eased off at the first as Urianstad goes to the front. One wonders if they know that Greenwood is chasing, and only 16 seconds back with 82km to go.

2026-01-21T01:41:17.371Z

Paleni is working hard at the front of the break with his teammate Martin on his wheel, and then Urianstad.

Greenwood is around 13 seconds back and though he’s not giving up, he’s labouring in his solo chase.

2026-01-21T01:36:18.035Z
Crash

Riders from Movistar, Visma, Bahrain, EF Education down.

2026-01-21T01:34:34.965Z

Patrick Eddy lined up in Tanunda as the national champion today, though he was always going to be wearing green and gold at the race given he part of the national squad, the ARA Australian Cycling Team. He is likely to be up near the front in the final kilometres of the race once again on Wednesday, but not chasing his own result this time as he is switching back to a role he has had plenty of practice in over the past two years in the WorldTour.

“I’m doing a lead out for Liam Walsh,” Eddy told Cyclingnews before the stage start, with Walsh having form at the Tour Down Under, having taken fourth on the stage to Victoria Harbour last year.

“Today’s probably the main and only pure sprint stage so it’s a big goal for us so I’ll just try and drop him off, put him in a good train in the last K or so, and then let him get to work.”

2026-01-21T01:33:20.657Z

Three riders in the break are Martin Urianstad (Uno-X) and teammates Guillaume Martin, Enzo Paleni (both Groupama-FDJ United)

(Image credit: Getty Images)

2026-01-21T01:32:35.915Z

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Cyclingnews’ reporter at the finish in Tanunda, Simone Giuliani reports: “There was plenty of support for the rider in the chase, ARA Australian Cycling Team’s Matthew Greenwood, as he rode through Tanunda, with Aussie flags waving like crazy and a roar from the crowd to help encourage him on.”

2026-01-21T01:26:47.405Z

Peloton led by Ineos crosses the line, 2:16 behind the break.

Greenwood is 22 seconds, still chasing the trio.

2026-01-21T01:25:32.040Z

Trio passes the finish line in Tanunda to start the first of 3 big circuits, led by Martin, followed by Paleni and Urianstad Bugge.

2026-01-21T01:21:30.041Z

Greenwood can see the trio ahead, as he is slowly nibbling down the gap.

2026-01-21T01:21:03.951Z

Visma puts a rider at the front of the peloton to set the pace. Behind him is the team of race leader Watson, Ineos, all lined up.

2026-01-21T01:19:20.305Z

In the break, Paleni is the highest placed on GC, 24 seconds down. Urianstad is 27 seconds and Martin is 28 seconds.

The gap is now 2:10 making Paleni the virtual leader on the road.

2026-01-21T01:15:28.831Z

Greenwood is sitting in no man’s land. 41 seconds from the break of 3, while the peloton is at 1:53

2026-01-21T01:14:10.833Z
Break

Groupama duo of Enzo Paleni and Guillaume Martin catch Martin Urianstad (Uno-X Mobility) with 102km to go.

The trio have a lead of 1:33

2026-01-21T01:10:53.740Z

Another rider tried his luck to bridge up. Matthew Greenwood of the ARA Australian team.

2026-01-21T01:09:55.152Z

Oh wait. Once again Groupama’s Martin makes a move and this time he sits on a teammate’s wheel to go across to Urianstad.

2026-01-21T01:09:21.329Z

No interest so far to join Urianstad in break. He has 28 seconds.

2026-01-21T01:06:32.089Z

And another attack by Urianstad with 108km to go.

2026-01-21T01:04:35.177Z

Defending champion Jhonatan Narvaez has a great leadout, and easily gets the 3 second time bonus.

All the sprinters stayed out of it.

2026-01-21T01:03:48.581Z

Pithie being guided by his Red Bull team, he sits 3 seconds down

2026-01-21T01:03:16.358Z

The battle for position is heating up, 1.4km to the sprint.

2026-01-21T01:02:16.535Z

More teams massing at the front, jostling for position for the sprint coming up, in 3 kilometres.

2026-01-21T00:59:40.229Z

Ethan Vernon is only 1 second down in GC so maybe will try to get that back in the intermediate sprint.

The overall win at the Tour Down Under often comes down to mere seconds.

2026-01-21T00:58:36.168Z

And the 3 escapees have been reeled in by the UAE-led peloton with Ineos sitting right behind them.

2026-01-21T00:58:05.206Z

Gap is tumbling down, It is now at 5 seconds.

2026-01-21T00:57:23.084Z

Peloton is definitely chasing with the first intermediate sprint, and the all important time bonus seconds, coming in about 7km

2026-01-21T00:55:40.640Z

Pace is picking up in the peloton with UAE taking control.

Martin the break is an interesting move. He’s a climber and finished top10 twice in his career.

2026-01-21T00:54:35.868Z

Peloton seems happy to let them go, as Brenner has joined Martin and Urianstad in the break. Gap has grown out to 21 seconds.

2026-01-21T00:53:01.915Z

Marco Brenner is the Tudor rider.

2026-01-21T00:52:38.287Z

And now Tudor sends a man up to try and bridge up to the duo.

2026-01-21T00:52:14.975Z

The 2 riders trying to escape are Guillaume Martin (Groupama-FDJ United) and Martin Urianstad (Uno-X)

2026-01-21T00:51:06.496Z

Quick reaction by FDJ rider.

2026-01-21T00:50:53.488Z

And we have our first attack coming from Uno-X Mobility, 50 metres after the start.

2026-01-21T00:50:22.162Z

Flag drop from race director Stuar O’Grady – winner of the first Tour Down Under in 1999 – and we are racing!

2026-01-21T00:49:31.391Z

The peloton are eager to start, swarming the car, waiting while Stuart O’Grady is waving his hands to try and slow them down.

2026-01-21T00:45:49.471Z

The 140 riders are sticking close to the race director’s car, with Sam Watson, in the ochre jersey, at the front.

2026-01-21T00:43:47.167Z

The Australian sprinter shared his thoughts with the media prior to the start of the Santos Tour Down Under.

‘Prove to myself that I can get back on the top step’ – Sam Welsford aiming to kickstart Ineos Grenadiers sprint momentum at Tour Down Under

2026-01-21T00:41:48.742Z

The standout favourite today has to be Sam Welsford (Ineos Grenadiers) who won twice in Tanunda the past two years and is already a six times stage winner on home soil.

“In last year’s stage here, Welsford survived a late crash to win the bunch sprint when the circuit was run in the opposite direction. This year, the climb is gentler but the descent will have some white knuckles for the run-in to the final 13km.”

2026-01-21T00:40:39.907Z

Stage 1 is underway, starting with a 4.6km neutral section. Today’s course is predicted to favour the sprinters,

2026-01-21T00:34:54.734Z

Stage 1 will pass landmarks including the new Barossa Park sporting precinct, ascend Menglers Hill and wind between vineyards before sprinters’ leadout trains begin to take shape. The 120.6km stage ends with 3 clockwise loops through Tanunda

Here’s what race director Stuart O’Grady said about stage 1: “The Barossa has been an integral part of the Santos Tour Down Under since its inception, so we are naturally delighted to be going back there again. There is a real European feel to the race whenever we are in the region, with people having a picnic on the side of the road with a baguette and bottle of wine, and really enjoying the atmosphere.”

2026-01-21T00:32:36.885Z

Current weather conditions are, according to CN’s reporter on the ground Simone Giuliani, as follows: “a cooler start this morning – it’s all relative – with the temperature expected to be in the mid 20’s.”

2026-01-21T00:30:09.860Z

Prologue winner Sam Watson (Ineos Grenadiers) leads the general classification with 1 second on Ethan Vernon (NSN Cycling Team) and 3 seconds on Laurence Pithie (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe).

Jay Vine (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) is in fourth place, 4 seconds in arrears and his teammate, defending champion Jhonatan Narvaez is 9 seconds down.

2026-01-14T21:37:14.811Z

Welcome to Cyclingnews’ live coverage of the Tour Down Under stage 1, starting and ending in Tanunda. The stage starts at 11:10am local time and finishes roughly three hours later.

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