WATCH every stage from the Vuelta a Espana LIVE, FREE and in HD from August 14 on SBS Viceland, SBS On Demand and the SKODA Tour Tracker.
It’s been a whirlwind ten months for the Australian climber with the Canberran winning a spot on Alpecin-Fenix through the Zwift Academy, quickly uprooting his life to head over to his new European training base and navigating the COVID travel restrictions, before then facing an ever increasing set of racing challenges.
That will culminate for Vine at the Vuelta a España, not just the first Grand Tour, but the first WorldTour race for the 25-year-old neo-professional as he said in an interview with SBS Cycling Central.
“I’m full of excitement, anticipation and gratitude,” said Vine. “This will be my fourth race start this year, my first WorldTour event and first Grand Tour, all in my first race season. I’ve completed 15 race days so far this year, so I’ll be more than doubling that at this race. It will be a big step up.”
Vine impressed immediately on arriving in Europe, taking a few Strava KOMs off the Girona locals before heading to Turkey, finishing second overall against some serious competition from the ProSeries and WorldTour riders present.
He was then injured during a nasty crash at the Ruta del Sol, but has re-emerged with an eye-catching queen stage ride at the Vuelta a Burgos, where Vine finished fifth on the climb, just 14 seconds behind stage winner – and 2020 Vuelta podium-finisher - Hugh Carthy. Vine was just a second behind Giro d’Italia winner Egan Bernal, among names like Simon and Adam Yates, Mikel Landa and Pavel Sivakov.
Vine has shown that he’s got the ability to match it with the best, but he is humble and realistic enough to know that won’t necessarily transfer immediately to success in his first attempt at a Grand Tour.
“The step-up has been pretty rapid,” said Vine. “I’ve always had good numbers, but they’re not everything. To take a KOM at 6.5 Watts for 20 minutes, it’s not easy, but it doesn’t tell the whole story of racing. The biggest thing that I’ve found going into this level is the positioning and the fight going into the base of climbs.
“Stage 5 (of the Vuelta a Burgos), the result at the end, I was most disappointed with the climbing part of that. I was most pleased was the whole lead-up. The fight and the run-in started 50 kilometres out from the base, over an hour of fighting for position, continuously on every bit of road.
“That’s what I’ve found a lot more difficult. 150 guys on maybe five metres of road, bars two inches away either side of you, doing 55 kilometres an hour all while not being able to see where you’re going."
As recently as 2018, the Canberran was 'just' an endurance mountain bike rider, before a stint on the road convinced him that he could make a career as a professional cyclist. A rapid rise through the road cycling ranks, hastened by Vine’s single-minded determination and drive, and the invaluable support of partner Bre Vine, saw Jay as one of the best domestic cyclists in Australia.
Taking results on the National Road Series and even an impressive fifth at the Herald Sun Tour weren’t enough to warrant a call-up to the pros and Vine was eyeing an amateur stint in France to get his name out there before the Zwift Academy presented itself as an opportunity to land a deal with Alpecin-Fenix.
“Looking at it, Bre says we were always going to get me to Europe, but that was outside of COVID,” said Vine. “I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity Zwift has given me, it’s meant that I get to do what I love as job for the foreseeable future.
“The team, essentially, has given me a free pass at any race to go for GC, then from about 15 to five kilometres to go, or if there are any crucial corners, then I’ll work for the sprints, as long as it’s not a crucial day for GC next.
“It’s good for me, teaches me those bunch skills, keeps me out of the washing machine and gives me a bit of a warm-up for the GC days. They’ve also given me the green light to go for any uphill finishes, which is great confidence for a guy, who by most accounts is ‘just a Zwifter’.”
Vine is a very detailed orientated character, he’ll happily converse on tech, other riders, tactics in certain races… and he spends a lot of time watching road racing and also reviewing his own rides for tactical errors. It’s easy to think that approach has helped him shine early in his professional career, and it carries over to what he’s enjoying most about his time with Alpecin-Fenix.
“The atmosphere of being with the guys on the road and working towards a goal is pretty unique and something I really enjoy,” said Vine. “I’m in a position where I’ve got this free role for GC - and also working towards realistic winning goals of someone on the team - if you’d told me if I’d be in this position a year ago, I’d have laughed at you.
“I thought I’d get picked up as a waterboy for a big team or squeeze myself into a very competitive spot racing Conti or ProConti in a lot of 2.1 events in Europe. It’s a very surreal experience being here this quickly.”
For the Vuelta, it seems likely that Vine will pursue a similar free role with occasional responsibilities within the sprint train, and get his chance on the infamously steep ascents of the Vuelta.
“I’ve got no expectations, the team doesn’t have expectations for me,” said Vine. “Our DS Frederick (Willems) is amazing, really good at putting a plan together and analysing our strengths. Our team’s goal for this race is going to be to win a stage, whether that’s Jasper, myself, Tobias… in a breakaway, a sprint or from the GC group, and they’ve said that.
“If we achieve that goal with one of us perfect. My personal ambition is to learn as much as possible and have a lot of new experiences. I think I’ve shown that I can have a really good season next year, so I want to be able to make the most of it when I’m given the chance.”
WATCH every stage from the Vuelta a Espana LIVE, FREE and in HD from August 14 on SBS Viceland, SBS On Demand and the SKODA Tour Tracker.
