According to UAE Team Emirates-XRG, Narváez's power explosion in Australia is just the beginning: "A super talent"
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Follow us on GoogleJhonatan Narváez took control of the Tour Down Under on the ever-decisive day over Willunga Hill. The Ecuadorian rider delivered a double success for his new team, UAE Team Emirates-XRG, securing both the stage win and the leader's jersey. With only a flat stage remaining on day six, it's unlikely that he will lose it.
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The fact that Narváez had strong legs was already evident earlier this week in Australia, as he competed in the sprint stages. He finished second on day three and third on day four before finally claiming victory on day five. The 27-year-old puncher launched a sprint in the final 200 meters of Willunga Hill, dropping the also strong Oscar Onley (Picnic-PostNL) and Finn Fisher-Black (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe) to take the win and bonus seconds.
"We planned to win the race with Jay or with me," Narváez said after the race, referring to his teammate Jay Vine. The Australian, however, crashed earlier in the week and couldn't deliver on Saturday, finishing thirteenth. "I was feeling well every day and obviously Jay had a crash yesterday, so it was the plan for me to go for the win today and I am so glad we did it."
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Narváez in the Tour Down Under's orange leader's jersey
UAE Team Emirates-XRG hopes for confidence boost for Narváez
Despite his explosive characteristics, Narváez isn’t necessarily known for being a prolific winner in the very biggest races. While his two stage victories in the Giro d’Italia were impressive, this double success in the Tour Down Under marks only his third win at the WorldTour level. "With Jhony, we know he just needs to be confident in himself," said UAE Team Emirates-XRG sports director Fabio Baldato in a press release. "He is a super talent who is super strong, but sometimes he just needs a push to believe in himself more."
That confidence boost was clearly evident on day five in Australia. "It was fantastic, absolutely," Baldato said. "We hoped, we prepared and we went close on stages 3 and 4 – now finally, Jhony did a fantastic job on Willunga. The whole team were amazing from the start. We have already been here with the guys for two weeks. It is the kind of victory which gives you even more satisfaction. I hope this gives him a boost to be absolutely sure of his potential. He is such a powerful and professional guy, he really deserves this."
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Can Narváez secure overall win and points classification in Tour Down Under's short final stage?
One last hurdle remains for Narváez on his way to overall victory in the Tour Down Under: day six. On paper, it’s a flat stage, but the South American is taking nothing for granted. "I think we managed it really well today because INEOS made the crosswinds but in the end, we came back and I survived the climb to do the sprint. In this race, I think this gap (nine seconds, ed.) is a lot and we will try to manage it tomorrow. It is a short stage and it will be fast and hot, but we have a good strong team to manage it."
Narváez starts the final day with a nine-second lead over Javier Romo of Movistar, who was dethroned as the GC race leader on Saturday. Fisher-Black is in third place, 12 seconds behind, followed by Onley at 15 seconds in fourth, and Bastien Tronchon (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale) in fifth at 24 seconds. If Narváez finishes ahead of Sam Welsford on Sunday, he will also secure the green points jersey. Both riders currently have 60 points heading into the final stage.
Bram van der PloegEditor-in-chief
Bram van der Ploeg (35) is the proud founder of In de Leiderstrui, IDL Pro Cycling's parent site, launched in 2018. Finally, he could create stories about the sport he had followed since childhood. He is the editor-in-chief on paper, but prefers to be with his recorder next to a rider, a team bus, or in the mud at a cyclocross race. Every year, from February to the end of May, Bram follows the entire Italian cycling season, from the Trofeo Laigueglia to the Giro d'Italia, with the grand finale in October in Lombardy. During that time, he lives in Tuscany, where he has since come to call Italy his 'home'.
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Latest Comments
- - I’m still learning how cyclocross works: when he says he messed up the start at the Europeans, can a bad start really make that much difference?patriciaw14-11-2026
- - Love that he’s honest about the pressure. Hopefully he can carry this form through the winter.lindae14-11-2026
- - Beating different competition is the key now. Nys is already in the mix, and Van der Poel could make the next step a much tougher one.jennifer1914-11-2026
- - About time—Mason’s been knocking on the door for years. That Niel win could really open things up for him.cadencekingm14-11-2026
- I’m still learning how cyclocross works—does leading the Superprestige mean Mason is top of that race series, rather than the World Cup? Either way, winning in Belgium sounds like a massive result.cadencekingm13-11-2026
- Calling Onley a contender for an overall Tour win already feels a bit premature, especially after the injury setbacks. Still, the depth of talent is exciting.robert6513-11-2026
- Great to see Dickson’s route from triathlon to the WorldTour getting recognition. Scottish cycling has plenty to be proud of, and the 2027 Grand Départ could give the next generation a real lift.patriciaw13-11-2026
- The article makes a good case for clubs and small teams doing the groundwork, rather than one big development pipeline. Thornley’s Vuelta time trials were seriously impressive too; missing a stage win by two seconds is brutal.davidm13-11-2026
- Mason winning in Niel is huge—beating that kind of Belgian field in the mud takes serious class. The Kelvingrove World Cup could be an unforgettable homecoming.breakawaybikerd13-11-2026
- I’m not sure how WorldTour licences work—could these reports affect whether the team gets one next year, or is that decision based on other criteria?velodromevirtuoso113-11-2026