Teams eye Zwift scouting following Vine's Tour Down Under win

Australian's victory vindicates virtual selection

- SOPHIE SMITH

Jay Vine's unusual rise to cycling's top tier may become more commonplace as teams look to online platforms for fresh talent.

Since graduating to the World Tour via the Zwift Academy in 2021, Vine has embarked on an impressive trajectory which he continued last week with victory at the Tour Down Under.

The 27-year-old, in his first season with UAE Emirates, beat Simon Yates (Jayco Alula) and Pello Bilbao (Bahrain Victorious) on his race debut to claim his second scalp of the season, following victory at the Australian National Time Trial Championships, that he also won on first participation.

Vine signed a non-disclosure agreement when he transferred from Alpecin-Deceuninck to UAE Emirates at the end of last season. The team, which flagged the Australian before his two breakthrough stage wins at the Vuelta a España last year, is keen to discover his limits.

"I think he could be one of the new men of the stage races for the next years. We believe it, and he also believes it," UAE Emirates chief operating officer Andrea Agostini told CW in South Australia.

Previously overlooked for the national team at Down Under and during the Covid-19 pandemic, Vine turned his attention to online pathways in pursuit of his dream that may not otherwise have been realised at a time when travel to, from and within Australia was virtually banned.

Zwift ascent

"Without Covid yes, with Covid no," Vine said when asked if he would have made it to the top regardless of the route.

"That was my last chance. I had just turned 25, and Australia wasn't opening up unless you had a professional contract, so it was race NRS again, and amateur racing in Australia is just that, it's amateur, no one cares."