Half a second. That’s all that came between Ethan Vernon and time trialing to the win and first leader’s ochre jersey on the opening day of the Tour Down Under.
Vernon well and truly dusted off the offseason cobwebs in his first race of 2026, smashing the prologue to clock 4:17 at the finish line to secure second place, just half a second off the winning time set by Sam Watson (Ineos Grenadiers).
While the 3.6-kilometer course was relatively straightforward, strong winds favored the early starters, and from there, it was all about putting the head down and powering through the streets of Adelaide.
Although disappointed to come so close to the win, Vernon takes confidence from his performance ahead of the first sprint stage of the race tomorrow.
“It was nice to get the 2026 season underway,” says the British rider. “I was hoping to win but, yeah, it’s nice to be up there anyway.
“My power numbers were really good once again so it’s a bit of a shame why it didn’t turn into a win today, but it gives me confidence for the next stage. And hopefully we can win a stage as well.”
For Sports Director Sam Bewley, today’s result reflects the team’s ambition and objectives for the rest of the week.
“It was a great result for Ethan today – we knew he could do a good ride over that distance and the way the course was designed,” says Bewley. “He was really motivated, and this result shows that he’s been working hard over the winter and has come to Australia with some real intent.
“Obviously, it hurts to miss out on a win by half a second, but this gives us confidence for the rest of the week. It’s also great to start this new WorldTour cycle with a good a result.”
