McDonald makes first break of 2026 for Team Novo Nordisk

Australian second year professional Bailey McDonald jumped into the early breakaway on stage one of the Tour de La Provence in France today giving Team Novo Nordisk its first breakaway appearance of 2026 and the first European breakaway for the 22-year-old.

The 163km opener rolled out of Marseille and into the Provençal hills towards the big grey rain clouds that hung menacingly overhead, with the weather turning early in the stage and the rain falling as McDonald and his four companions in the escape worked together to develop a lead.

“It’s great to start my first race of the season with a day out in the break,” said McDonald. “2025 was a huge eye opener for me and really tough in a lot of ways, I went away after last season, back home to Australia and made a lot of changes to try and come back better in 2026. Like always you’re never sure if they wIll work until you get to a race so I was nervous today, but really happy to open the season like this and prove to myself that things are trending in the right direction.”

“It was a super hard day with hilly terrain and some horrible weather conditions hitting mid stage, which ultimately led to my body really struggling in the cold around 3.5hrs in. Some needed winter lessons for this summer loving Aussie. Seeing two of my breakaway companions stay away for the win is a little bittersweet and I feel that I missed an opportunity to stay in the front group and maybe help Fillipo in the final, but overall I’m content with the day.”

The rain continued to get heavier as the temprature plummeted with the peloton splitting towards the end and a disorganized pursuit of the two remaining breakaway riders resulting in somewhat of an upset as Arnaud Tendon (VRR) held on for the win with Italian rouleur Filippo Ridolfo first over the line for TNN in 23rd.