Jay Vine scorches to Australian time trial title

Jay Vine got his 2026 season off to a fast start with victory in the elite time trial at the Australian Championships in Perth. The UAE Team Emirates-XRG rider scorched around the 39km course to claim the title by 31 seconds from Oliver Bleddyn (Team Brennan). 

Kelland O’Brien took the bronze medal ahead of his Jayco-Alula teammate Ben O’Connor, but defending champion Luke Plapp endured a disappointing afternoon, coming home 2:44 down in eighth place.

Vine clocked an average speed of just over 50kph as he regained a title he previously won in 2023. Twelve months ago, he placed second behind Plapp at the event.

The victory was UAE Team Emirates-XRG’s first of the new calendar year, though their tally for the new season is already at three as the Mexican titles Isaac del Toro won in October are technically classed as part of the 2026 campaign. In 2025, UAE claimed a record-breaking 95 victories across the season.

Vine’s perfect start to the new season is in keeping with a fine 2025 campaign that saw him collect five victories, including a pair of stage wins on the Vuelta a España, where he raced in support of João Almeida.

The 30-year-old also underlined his quality as a time triallist by taking silver at the World Championships behind Remco Evenepoel.

Vine’s display in Perth underlined his status among the favourites for the Tour Down Under, and he will hope to get off to a winning start in the short prologue time trial on January 20.

The Australian is also set to ride the UAE Tour in February, and he will line up in support of Almeida at the Giro d’Italia in May.

Earlier on Thursday, Felicity Wilson-Haffenden (Lidl-Trek) won the elite women’s time trial at the Australian Championships. Brodie Chapman (UAE Team ADQ) lost out by just three seconds, while Josie Talbot (Liv Alula Jayco) took bronze.