Gallery: Narváez Makes History, Welsford Seals Sprint Supremacy At Schwalbe Stage 6

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Jhonatan Narváez has etched his name into the history books, becoming the first Ecuadorian to claim the prestigious Santos Tour Down Under title. After a tactical and measured ride on the final day, the UAE Team Emirates-XRG rider secured his biggest UCI WorldTour victory to date.

Starting the day with a nine-second lead over Spanish young gun Javier Romo Oliver, Narváez’s dominant win at Willunga Hill on Saturday proved decisive. On Sunday, he and his team managed the race expertly, ensuring his lead remained intact to claim the ochre jersey.

“It wasn’t easy, it was a bit dangerous, but we ended up winning the race,” Narváez said post-race. “It’s one of the nicest races on the calendar.”

Meanwhile, Australian sprint king Sam Welsford continued his reign on home soil, taking out Schwalbe Stage 6 in spectacular fashion through the streets of Adelaide. The 29-year-old Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe powerhouse secured his third stage win of this year’s tour.

A lot can happen between January and July, but all eyes will be on Sam’s season ahead and whether he’s in shape, in form and selected for the Tour de France. Ride On sure hope he’s there!

Adelaide turned it on for the final day of the 2025 Tour Down Under with a stunning but very warm Sunday. Image: Nat Bromhead

“I didn’t think three (stage wins) was possible going into this race,” Welsford said after the final stage. “I knew it was going to be a hard tour with challenging stages. The team really believed in me and backed me. We knew this last one was a good one for us – a big power circuit.”

A textbook lead-out from teammate Danny Van Poppel saw Welsford launch with 200m to go, confidently storming across the line ahead of Bryan Coquard (Cofidis) and Phil Bauhaus (Bahrain-Victorious).


Key Schwalbe Classic Moments

Ziptrak Sprint #1 – King William Road, Adelaide (Lap 4, 18.0km)

The peloton thundered through the first intermediate sprint, clocking an average speed of 47km/h. Breakaway leaders Casper Pedersen (Soudal-Quick Step), Kelland O’Brien (Jayco AlUla), and hometown hero Damien Howson battled for top honours, with Pedersen edging ahead.

efex King of the Mountain – Montefiore Hill (Lap 8, 36.0km)

Pedersen, O’Brien, and Howson continued to push the pace, scooping up valuable KOM points. Despite its modest gradient, Montefiore Hill proved deceptively tough, as two-time Santos Tour Down Under champion and German national coach Andre Greipel noted from trackside.

Ziptrak Sprint #2 – King William Road, Adelaide (Lap 12, 54.0km)

The breakaway trio traded positions once again, with Howson claiming maximum sprint points, followed closely by Pedersen and O’Brien. Their lead hovered at 38 seconds.

efex King of the Mountain – Montefiore Hill (Lap 16, 72.0km)

With 18km to go, Howson again took maximum KOM points, but the age old questions arose: Could the breakaway survive to the finish, or was it all part of a bigger team strategy?


2025 Tour Down Under Final Jersey Winners

  • Santos Ochre Leader’s Jersey – Jhonatan Narváez (UAE Team Emirates)
  • Ziptrak® Sprint Jersey Leader – Sam Welsford (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe)
  • efex King of the Mountain Leader – Fergus Browning (ARA Australian National Team)
  • Zwift Young Rider’s Jersey Leader – Albert Withen Philipsen (Lidl-Trek)

Gallery: Schwalbe Stage 6

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