Cycling Results · Stage Analysis · Édition 2026
Stage 4: Brighton → Willunga Hill
Tour Down Under 2026
43°C and extreme fire danger forced organisers to cut Willunga Hill from the route, shortening the stage from 176 km to 130.8 km and turning the canonical mountain finish into an uphill-drag bunch sprint. Ethan Vernon won, Lund Andresen second, Pithie third.
Heat kills the mountain stage, Vernon wins the substitute
Pre-race forecasts of 43°C and active fire danger forced ASO and Tour Down Under organisers to remove Willunga Hill from the route. The shortened 130.8 km stage finished on Willunga township's High Street in an uphill drag sprint. Vernon's NSN sprint was the only kick that mattered.
The GC stayed exactly where it had been after Stage 2 — Vine in the leader's jersey, the mountain test that was meant to define the week now postponed by climate.
Stage cut by heat, GC unchanged
Vine retains the leader's jersey, Schmid still second, Sweeny third. Willunga's removal hands him a defending day.
Tour Down Under — every stage we've published
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S0Prologue: Adelaide → Adelaide (ITT)
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S1Stage 1: Tanunda → Tanunda
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S2Stage 2: Norwood → Uraidla
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S3Stage 3: Henley Beach → Nairne
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S4Stage 4: Brighton → Willunga HillYOU ARE HERE
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S5Stage 5: Stirling → Stirling
Where this stage analysis comes from
- 🇬🇧 ProCyclingStats — TDU 2026 Stage 4