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2026-01-23T03:09:16.428Z
With 60km to go, the break of 3 has a lead of 1:35 with Veistroffer starting to show the strain. The three have been off the front for around 80 kilometres.
2026-01-23T03:03:09.888Z
While the big three sprinters’ teams are expending energy at the front of the peloton, other teams with sprinters are staying in the pack and getting a free ride. They include Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe for Danny Van Poppel, NSN for Ethan Vernon, Picnic PostNL for Casper van Uden, Lidl-Trek for Tim Tom Teutenberg, EF Education-Easypost for Luke Lamperti, Soudal-Quickstep for Alberto Dainese, and Autralian National Team Liam Walsh. And of course, the team of race leader Jay Vine, UAE Team Emirates-XRG for Sebastian Molano.
2026-01-23T02:47:51.898Z
In the peloton, riders are going back to their team cars to grab musettes and water bottles while the break is getting support from the neutral car.
2026-01-23T02:46:48.804Z
One rider staying safe in the peloton is newly crowned Australian champion Patrick Eddy, racing for the ARA Australian national team. On stage 1, he was part of the leadout for the team’s sprinter Liam Walsh.
2026-01-23T02:45:03.467Z
The three riders doing the pacemaking at the front of the peloton are still Lucas Hamilton for Ineos, Tim Rex for Visma and Antoine L’Hote for Decathlon.
2026-01-23T02:43:22.321Z
Sprint #1 result:
1- Baptiste Veistroffer (Lotto-Intermarché),
2026-01-23T02:42:10.096Z
Hot day out there. Veistroffer goes to his team to get an ice sock, and he shares more socks with his breakaway companions.
2026-01-23T02:41:14.906Z
Veistroffer moves across the road and to the front to take the points uncontested.
2026-01-23T02:39:42.501Z
Urianstad is leading the break with 1km to the sprint.
2026-01-23T02:37:54.360Z
Correction, gap is holding around the 1-minute mark.
2026-01-23T02:37:33.665Z
With a gap under 1 minute, the break sees 2.5 to the first intermediate sprint in Meadows.
2026-01-23T02:34:51.861Z
Kangaroos are keeping cool in the shade under the trees.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
2026-01-23T02:29:51.013Z
The peloton is now single-filed, the pressure has increased and the gap has dropped to 1:22 with 91km to go,
2026-01-23T02:28:05.151Z
Veistroffer has some trouble with the pace when the road went up for the KOM, but now he is back at the front of the break, thundering along but the peloton is keeping them very close.
2026-01-23T02:25:13.862Z
Lucas Hamilton setting the pace at the front of the pack
(Image credit: Getty Images)
2026-01-23T02:17:13.040Z
100km to go
Break of three: Marian Urianstad (Uno-X Mobility), Baptiste Veistroffer (Lotto-Intermarché), Enzo Paleni (Groupama-FDJ United) have 2:04 on the field.
2026-01-23T02:13:16.472Z
Visma’s Tim Rex is back at the front of the peloton, just like he did on stage 1,
2026-01-23T02:09:33.266Z
Ineos’ Lucas Hamilton leads the peloton across the top of Wickham Hill.
2026-01-23T02:08:36.133Z
The peloton slows down slightly on the climb to look after their sprinters; the gap goes up slightly to 2:09.
2026-01-23T02:06:59.080Z
Urianstad takes the 10 points, and simply rolls across the line. Veistroffer is second and Paleni third.
2026-01-23T02:05:32.479Z
Urianstad goes to the front with 500metres to the top. Veistroffer on his wheel, and then Paleni.
2026-01-23T02:01:43.216Z
Veistroffer is setting the pace on the climb, followed by Paleni and then Urianstad.
2026-01-23T02:00:30.952Z
Ineos rotates to the front of the peloton, as the break sees 2km to the first KOM of the day.
2026-01-23T01:58:50.654Z
Not the first breakaway, of course, for Paleni, who made it into the break on stage 1 that was reeled in. But the 23-year-old Frenchman did take 4th on stage 5 at the 2024 Giro d’Italia where the break made it to the finish line.
2026-01-23T01:53:28.867Z
Under the impetus of Decathlon’s Antoine L’Hote, the gap to the break is now 1:52 as we race towards the first KOM of the day, the cat 1. Wickham Hill.
2026-01-23T01:50:31.244Z
Veistroffer did some heat training before heading to Australia.
2026-01-23T01:43:15.617Z
(Image credit: Getty Images)
2026-01-23T01:36:49.188Z
Today is the second and final stage that can come down to a sprint, so the sprinters’ teams of Ineos, for Welsford, Visma for Brennan and Decathlon for stage 1 winner Tobias Lund Andresen – came to the front early to keep the break on a tight leash.
2026-01-23T01:31:03.159Z
Looking at the break, Paleni is the highest placed on GC, at 2:28 down. Veistroffer is 4:24 back and Urianstad is 11:14 back.
2026-01-23T01:29:34.426Z
Still lots of discussion between the three riders in the break. The three riders now have 2:02 on the peloton with one rider each of the sprinters team: Ineos, Visma and Decathlon are setting the pace.
2026-01-23T01:26:52.266Z
One of the favourites to win today’s stage is Sam Welsford (Ineos Grenadiers), and the team scouted the new Nairne finish as part of their race strategy.
“It’s a new course so when it’s a new course, no one knows how it’s going to be won. Everyone’s got a theory how to win it. But yeah, I mean, we’ve done it twice. I’ve done it once with Sam by himself, and I’ve done it once with the whole group, so we’ve got a pretty good idea of what we want to do today,” Ineos Grenadiers sports director Daryl Impey told Cyclingnews before the stage start.
“Yeah, it’s challenging, the hill is challenging, but I think the depth of the field here is so good I can’t see anyone sneaking away. I’m sure there will be teams trying to put guys like Sam [Welsford] on the limit but I think hopefully we should have all bases covered. If it’s not for Sam Welsford, then we’ve got Sam Watson. So we’re pretty happy with both options.”
2026-01-23T01:24:55.072Z
Paleni and Urianstad discussed how the three riders in the break can work together to stay away from the peloton. They talked about how to divvy the sprint and KOM points available today.
2026-01-23T01:19:45.752Z
Veistroffer dropped his chain, and with some help from a breakaway rider, he fixes it and keeps on going.
2026-01-23T01:15:57.518Z
Urianstad gets across to Enzo Paleni and Baptiste Veistroffer. Trio has 22 seconds with less after 1 kilometre of racing.
2026-01-23T01:13:57.849Z
Urianstad jumps away on this opening kick to make it up to the riders up the road.
2026-01-23T01:13:22.981Z
And an immediate attack from Groupama and a Lotto rider gets on his wheel.
2026-01-23T01:12:54.706Z
Flag drop by race director Stuart O’Grady, and we are racing!
2026-01-23T01:12:31.223Z
Riders including Luke Plapp, have started to swarm the race lead car,
2026-01-23T01:11:04.338Z
And of course, KOM leader Martin Urianstad (Uno-X Mobility) is also close to the car. After all, he’s been in the break in stage 1 and stage 2. Will he go again today?
2026-01-23T01:10:10.310Z
Three VIsma-Lease a Bike riders sitting behind the race car as they meander their way towards kilometre 0. The team will be all in for their sprinter Matthew Brennan today.
2026-01-23T01:06:08.215Z
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Let’s hear what race leader Jay Vine (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) told Seven this morning at the start in Henley Breach.
“It’s really nice to wear this jersey after not having it for three years. And it’s really nice to gotta pin the numbers on today.”
About managing the heat and stage 3: “Obviously, nutrition is really important, but it’s also we’re here to take the race in the final day. So got to keep on top of any dangerous breakaways that go ahead. And hopefully, it’s a relatively easy day with the sprinters wanting to have a sprint at the end.”
About winning in front of his wife and son: “I’ve been lucky to win in front of them before, but to do it in Australia as well. And my son’s obviously growing and learning more and more and recognising me more and more from the TV as well, so it’s pretty special. And I just love having him here and coming to the bus before the start and into the hotel room before the race even. It’s really nice.”
2026-01-23T00:50:15.352Z
As the field is rolling through the neutral section, Cyclingnews took a closer look at stage 3:
“The third stage from Henley Beach to Nairne is no holiday beach trip. The Wickham Hill climb is three kilometres long and averages 7%, but kicks up to 11% in places and rises 207 metres. It comes only 32.2km into the stage, so perhaps not one for the GC contenders to attack on. The ascent at Mount Barker after 115 kilometres is short but tough, and possibly not enough to dislodge the sprinters if they’re still around.”
2026-01-23T00:48:05.471Z
Very relaxed mood – so far – in the peloton during the long neutral section.
2026-01-23T00:43:34.908Z
The field is down to 137 riders. Jonas Rutsch (Lotto-Intermarché) was involved in a crash yesterday, and will not be starting today.
🇦🇺 #TourDownUnderSpeedy recovery! 🍀 pic.twitter.com/VfaeMiE0DUJanuary 22, 2026
2026-01-23T00:41:03.080Z
Racers are now riding through the 15.1 km-long neutral zone; it should take about 30 minutes before the flag drops.
2026-01-23T00:40:15.745Z
Current conditions at the start in Henley Beach are, according to CN’s reporter on the ground, Simone Giuliani, as follows:
2026-01-23T00:34:40.737Z
It’s going to be a hot one today in South Australia. Currently 29°C and sunny, and fairly cool by Adelaide summer standards, but the forecast is 32 °C by the time they finish in Nairne.
2026-01-23T00:30:00.576Z
Henley Beach is hosting a stage start for the first time, welcoming the riders as they face a day largely spent in the Adelaide Hills. This 140-kilometre stage 3 is set to head south to Flagstaff Hill and Coromandel Valley before visiting Adelaide Hills communities. Climbers will step it up on the steep slopes of Wickham Hill at McLaren Flat and Mount Barker’s Summit Road, with a sprint in Echunga before a 19-kilometre loop leading to a final showdown in Nairne.
Here’s what race director Stuart O’Grady said about stage 3: “I’m really excited about this stage, with two locations that are first-time hosts: Henley Beach and Nairne. From a racing point of view, a lot of the roads are uncharted territory and might look straightforward, but there are enough climbs and opportunities – even coming through Mount Barker a well-timed attack could upset the sprinters.”
2026-01-23T00:24:01.037Z
Stage 2 winner Jay Vine (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) leads the general classification with six seconds on his teammate Jhonatan Narváez. Mauro Schmid (Jayco AlUla) sits in third place, 1:05 down.
2026-01-14T22:09:40.506Z
Welcome to Cyclingnews’ live coverage of stage 3, from Henley Beach to Nairne, of the Tour Down Under. The stage starts at 11:10 am local time and finishes roughly four hours later.
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