š„ Bizarre scenes in Australia as kangaroo causes crash involving Tour Down Under leader Jay Vine
CyclingSunday, 25 January 2026 at 09:32
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Follow us on GoogleThe 2026 cycling season has only just begun, but we have already witnessed one of the most bizarre moments. At the Tour Down Under, a kangaroo jumped into the peloton, causing several riders to crash. Classification leader Jay Vine was one of them, but unlike his teammate Mikkel Bjerg, the Aussie was able to finish the race.
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Halfway through the race, helicopter footage showed several riders lying on the ground, and the cause was soon clear as the kangaroo was still visible jumping around. Hopefully, the animal will get off relatively lightly, just like Bjerg and others.
The day before, leader Vine had already seen Jhonatan NarvĆ”ez and Vegard Stake Laengen drop out with injuries, and after Bjerg's withdrawal, he had only two teammates left. āWe had more and more bad luck as the race progressed,ā sighed the Aussie. "We knew it was going to be difficult, but jesus... The saying āit ain't over till it's overā has proven itself once again.ā
āPeople always ask me what the most dangerous thing in Australia is, and I always say kangaroos,ā Vine sighed. āThey hide in the bushes and then suddenly they're in front of you. Point proven today. Two kangaroos jumped into the peloton and I think we were riding at 50 km/h. One of them stopped, went right, left, and I couldn't avoid him. Fortunately, I'm okay, but I'm also thinking about Mikkel."
In the end, he did cross the finish line as the overall winner in the stage won by Matthew Brennan on behalf of Visma | Lease a Bike. āAdam Yates was crucial in the last part of the stage, he was perfect. Everyone who was left today did a fantastic job. I am incredibly grateful and proud to be part of this team.ā
Video: kangaroo causes crash in Tour Down Under peloton
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Tom van der Salm (27) comes from the charming town of Zeilberg (Deurne) in the Netherlands and has been working as editor-in-chief & journalist at IDL Pro Cycling's parent site, In de Leiderstrui, since 2019. He travels with the peloton from the Tour de France to the AlUla Tour and from the World Championships in Rwanda or Canada to the Zilvermeercross in Mol. In his spare time he enjoys playing football, mountain biking, running, walking with his Labrador/Stabyhoun, investing, holidays, (specialty) beers, reading, cooking and watching sports & documentaries!
Contact: [email protected]
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