The Prague Post - Vine, Narvaez take control after dominant Tour Down Under stage win

Australia's Vine, the 2023 winner, powered up the Corkscrew Hill the second time with Ecuador's Narvaez hanging in on his wheel to open up a race-winning break and scatter their rivals for an untroubled sprint into the Uraidla finish.

Such was Vine's dominance that Narvaez clapped him in tribute as they crossed the finish line of the 148.1km stage with Swiss champion Mauro Schmid (Team Jayco AlUla) third, 58 seconds adrift of the pair.

Vine took the lead in the race general classification by six seconds from Narvaez with Schmid third 1min 5sec behind the leader.

"It's been on my mind since the last time I wore the ochre leader's jersey, it's so incredible to win on such a hard stage," Vine said.

"We have such a strong position now with me and Jonny (Narvaez) and being led out by Adam Yates is pretty incredible as well."

Narvaez, who appeared to be gasping to keep up with Vine on the demanding final Corkscrew climb, paid tribute to his teammate.

"Jay was really strong, I was just a passenger on his wheel on the climb," he said.

"He prepared really well for this race and we are happy to get the victory and, of course, we are looking to win the GC."

It was a huge statement by the powerful UAE team with three stages left in the UCI World Tour season opener.

It was the first time in the race's 26 years that a men's stage had featured two Corkscrew Hill climbs.

With 700 metres left up the steep 2.6km ascent Vine blasted clear and Narvaez was the only rider who could go with him as their attack scattered the peloton.

Denmark's Tobias Lund Andresen, the race leader after stage one, was dropped on the last climb of the Corkscrew and limped home in 82nd place.

F.Prochazka--TPP