Tom Donnenwirth in the top 15 to wrap things up
# Tom Donnenwirth Shines in Top 15 Finish at Tour Down Under Finale
The 2026 Tour Down Under concluded this Sunday with a challenging fifth stage held in Stirling, where a tight sprint determined the outcome. Matthew Brennan claimed victory in a thrilling finish, while Tom Donnenwirth of Groupama-FDJ rounded off his performance with a commendable 14th place, marking his second consecutive top-15 finish.
Covering nearly 170 kilometers, the final stage was the longest of the tour, featuring a daunting 3,000 meters of elevation on rugged terrain. The prospects for a traditional bunch sprint appeared slim, as many cyclists were eager to take initiative from the start. Enzo Paleni was particularly active early on, but it was a four-man breakaway that broke free after about twenty kilometers. “The peloton let them have three minutes, then started to control,” noted Jussi Veikkanen, group director of the team. However, the race took a dramatic turn when a crash caused by a kangaroo took down several riders, including overall leader Jay Vine. “The race then gradually settled back into its rhythm, the sprinters’ teams took control and reeled in the break at the start of the final lap,” Veikkanen added.
As the distance dwindled, a fresh flurry of attacks emerged, highlighted by four riders, including Jefferson Cepeda and Santiago Buitrago. “They put on a real show but were caught with 800 metres to go,” explained Veikkanen, as the peloton was thinned out due to the rigorous climbs leading to the finish. While Donnenwirth attempted to follow the crucial moves in the sprint, he fell just short of achieving standout recognition. “Lewis was dropped at the bottom of the final ramp, 6–7 kilometres from the finish, so he wasn’t there at the end. Tom tried to follow the moves in the sprint, but he was just missing that little something to really stand out,” Veikkanen remarked.
Despite the mixed feelings regarding the team’s performance throughout the week, especially after not meeting expectations on stage two, Veikkanen is optimistic. “We’re not going to jump to conclusions after this Tour Down Under. Now we’ll recover and focus on next week—there’s a real opportunity starting Thursday.”
The peloton will next compete in the Surf Coast Classic on Thursday, followed by the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race on Sunday, before returning to Europe. As the season progresses, Groupama-FDJ is ready to build on their experiences from the Tour Down Under.
