Refresh
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.
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.
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.”
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.
Veistroffer dropped his chain, and with some help from a breakaway rider, he fixes it and keeps on going.
Urianstad gets across to Enzo Paleni and Baptiste Veistroffer. Trio has 22 seconds with less after 1 kilometre of racing.
Urianstad jumps away on this opening kick to make it up to the riders up the road.
And an immediate attack from Groupama and a Lotto rider gets on his wheel.
Flag drop by race director Stuart O’Grady, and we are racing!
Riders including Luke Plapp, have started to swarm the race lead car,
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?
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.
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.”
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.”
Very relaxed mood – so far – in the peloton during the long neutral section.
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
Racers are now riding through the 15.1 km-long neutral zone; it should take about 30 minutes before the flag drops.
Current conditions at the start in Henley Beach are, according to CN’s reporter on the ground, Simone Giuliani, as follows:
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.
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.”
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.
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.
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.