ADELAIDE: Former winner Jay Vine and defending champion Jhonatan Narvaez completed a double for UAE Team Emirates XRG to dominate the second stage of the Tour Down Under near Adelaide on Thursday.
Australian Vine, winner in 2023, powered up Corkscrew Hill for a second time with Ecuador’s Narvaez clinging to his wheel to open a winning break and disperse his rivals for a trouble-free sprint to the finish of Uraidla.
Such was Vine’s dominance that Narvaez paid tribute to him as they crossed the finish line of the 148.1km stage with Swiss champion Mauro Schmid (Team Jayco AlUla) third, 58 seconds behind the duo.
Vine took the overall race lead six seconds behind Narvaez with Schmid third, 1min 5sec behind the leader.
“It’s been on my mind since the last time I wore the ocher leader’s jersey, it’s so incredible to win on such a difficult stage,” Vine said.
“We have such a strong position now with me and Jonny (Narvaez) and to be managed by Adam Yates is pretty incredible as well.”
Narvaez, who seemed out of breath keeping up with Vine on the demanding final climb of the Corkscrew, paid tribute to his teammate.
“Jay was really strong, I was just a passenger on his wheel on the way up,” he said.
“He prepared very well for this race and we are happy to get the victory and, of course, we are looking to win the GC.”
This is a huge statement from the powerful UAE team, with three stages remaining in the UCI World Tour season opener.
It was the first time in the race’s 26-year history that a men’s stage featured two ascents of Corkscrew Hill.
With 700 meters to go, Vine’s steep 2.6km climb cleared and Narvaez was the only rider who could keep up with him as their attack scattered the peloton.
Dane Tobias Lund Andresen, race leader after the first stage, was dropped on the final climb of the Corkscrew and limped home in 82nd place.
Published in Dawn, January 23, 2026
