Richie Porte charging up Willunga Hill as the thronging crowds roar in delight was one of the moments synonymous with the Tour Down Under experience for so many years and now the race has found a way to bring back that iconic experience even through the Australian rider has retired from the WorldTour peloton.
The event will be running a time trial up the climb on Saturday January 20, with amateur riders setting off from the start ramp every minute until finally Porte, known as the King of Willunga, is let loose to try and chase down the riders ahead.
“I love being in Adelaide and especially during the Santos Tour Down Under," said Porte in a media statement put out by the event. "I am already looking forward to being back on my bike, but without the full pressure of having the peloton behind me.
“It will be so much fun trying to catch the entrants in the time trial up Willunga Hill.”
Porte retired at the end of last season, delivering his final race effort up the three-kilometre climb in the Santos Festival of Cycling – a replacement for the cancelled WorldTour event during the COVID-19-impacted years of 2021 and 2022 – while mentoring a new generation of talent in a national team.
In his last WorldTour level effort in 2020, Porte set a time of 6:34 on the 3-kilometre Old Willunga Hill Strava segment, and it is a mark that has remained at the top of the leaderboard since.
“Richie is famous for this climb for good reason – he won the stage race up Willunga Hill seven times throughout his career," said race organiser Stuart O'Grady. "For any cycling enthusiast, the opportunity to ride alongside him on this hill is an honour."
The climb wasn't part of the race in 2023, which was won by Jay Vine (UAE Team Emirates), but Willunga Hill returns in force in 2024. It will provide the finale for the Women's WorldTour event and the men's race will be heading up the climb on stage 5 after the public time trial.
The racing in South Australia in 2024 will start with the three-stage women's Tour Down Under from Friday January 12 to Sunday January 14. The men begin with a criterium on Saturday January 13 and set off into the six-stage men's Tour Down Under on Tuesday January 16, with the finale at the summit of Mount Lofty on Sunday January 21.
