Jan 27 (Reuters) - Australian Jay Vine won the Tour Down Under with a broken wrist after being knocked off his bike by a kangaroo on the fifth and final stage, his UAE Team Emirates-XRG team revealed on Tuesday.
Vine was one of several riders caught up in a crash caused by the bounding marsupial but remounted and still managed to hold on to his overall lead and win by just over one minute.
The kangaroo limped away from the scene of the pile-up.
"After the race Jay reported pain in his wrist from his crash during the final stage," team doctor Adrian Rotunno said in a statement. "After medical review, it was found that he sustained a significant left wrist scaphoid fracture."
The 30-year-old underwent 'successful' surgery on Tuesday.
"He will be withdrawn from competition for post-op recovery and rehabilitation," his team said.
The Tour Down Under was the opening event of the 2026 World Tour which continues on Sunday with the Great Ocean Road Race.
(Reporting by Martyn HermanEditing by Toby Davis)
