Ridhie Porte in this years Australian Champions jersey(Image credit: Mark Gunter)
Richie Porte was on everyone's lips as the favourite.(Image credit: Mark Gunter)
Richie Porte will lead Team Sky at the Giro d'Italia.(Image credit: Team Sky)
Richie Porte won the queen stage to Willunga Hill(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Although the overall win was beyond him, Richie Porte (Team Sky) threw down an early season performance of some muster to win atop Willunga Hill on stage five of the Tour Down Under in 2014.
The Tasmanian attacked on the final ascent of the stage and despite being briefly joined by rival Cadel Evans (Team BMC) the Sky captain was strong enough to dispatch the veteran and hold on for the win, with Diego Ulissi (Lampre-Merida) and Simon Gerrans (Orica-GreenEdge) taking second and third.
Gerrans eventually came out on top and won the 2014 race but the Orica GreenEdge rider is out this year after breaking a collarbone. Porte, meanwhile, has found some of his best form and claimed the national time trial championships in some style last weekend. He lines up for the Tour Down Under as one of the main favourites for the overall.
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