Tour Down Under: Porte wins on Willunga Hill

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Richie Porte made history on Willunga Hill as he claimed the queen stage of the Tour Down Under for the third year in a row and first for his new BMC Racing Team. Simon Gerrans crossed the line 17 seconds down in eighth place to ensure he starts tomorrow’s stage 6 city criterium in the leader’s ochre jersey with a nine second advantage over Porte.

At the base of the three-kilometre climb up Willunga Hill, it was grupo compcato for the overall favourites with the second ascent of the day to decide the stage and overall winner. Following a flurry of attacks, Porte attacked the reduced front group just outside the flame rouge with Sergio Henao (Team Sky) and Michael Woods (Cannondale) the only riders able to respond.

“To be honest, I never expected that one. Obviously it didn’t go plan yesterday with the time gap on the line but today the BMC guys were incredible. They backed me here, which is nice and I’ve only just started here with his team and its nice to win in Australia on top of Willunga. It's three in a row now.

"The Australian public just get behind this race so much and really does feel like riding the Tour de France up this climb. It's an incredible feeling,” said Porte, who won’t be chasing any bonus seconds in tomorrow stage. “I couldn’t sprint out of sight on a dark night. I am happy with how it’s gone. I didn’t target this race so it’s just nice to get the first win in the BMC jersey.

Porte sits nine seconds off Gerrans ahead of the final stage, with Henao at 11 seconds and Jay McCarthy at 20 seconds, while Woods rounds out the top five in his first race in green argyle at the same time.

Although the minor places are subject to change with closer time gaps, Gerrans has all but sown up his fourth win at the race

“Wow, that was a tough finish, “Gerrans said in his port-stage television interview. “The calibre of climber that is in the race just made that final ascent extra tough. The three guys who attacked off the front are some of the best in the world so it was bloody tough.

“One stage to go and anything can happen but I tell you what, I’d prefer to go into that last in front rather than behind,” Gerrans added.

How it unfolded

A fast and frenetic start to the day saw riders trying to force their way into the breakaway. A four-man group of Pim Ligthart (Lotto Soudal), Lars Boom (Astana), Nelson Oliverira (Movistar) and Reinardt Janse Van Rensburg (Dimension Data) eventually made the move to earn a two-minute gap over the Orica-GreenEdge controlled peloton, once again led by Michael Hepburn.

Primož Roglič was a casualty of an early crash that forced the LottoNL-Jumbo rider to withdraw.

After 40km or racing, the breakaway of rouleurs had extracted over four minutes with Ligthart rolling over the line at the first intermediate time check with no contest from his companions. At 80km into the day, the average speed was 44km/h in the breakaway, which had moved out to six minutes ahead on the road.

Through for the final lap of the early circuit that saw the peloton take in Aldinga Beach, Snapper Point Port Willunga, back through the start in McLaren Vale and into the town of Willunga. Ligthart was first over the line for the second sprint point as the peloton started to organise itself ahead of the first ascent of Willunga Hill.

Cannondale, Tinkoff, and BMC swelled to the front of the peloton to reduce the lead to five minutes with 35km to race. AG2R-La Mondiale contributed to the pace making to slim a further 30 seconds off the breakaway lead with 30km to go.

The peloton was 2:30 behind Janse Van Rensburg at the top of the climb, and he was re-joined by his breakaway companions on Range Road as BMC, Drapac and Team Sky led the chase.

The peloton had the break within its sights on the flat road, and the escapees were just 45 seconds ahead with seven kilometres to race. The breakaway started to attack itself with Ligthart and Janse Van Rensburg trying counter attacks as they were caught with 3.8km.

Manuele Boaro from Tinkoff led out the climb with Sky quickly taking over the pace setting as Peter Kennaugh started to ride away to hurt the legs his Henao’s rivals. Thomas led up the climb with 2.5km with Albasini and Impey in front of Gerrans before the attacks came thick and fast starting with Simon Clarke and Rohan Dennis.

Dennis was quickly going backwards as Lucas Hamilton launched an attack with 1.6km to go, briefly going solo before George Bennett then bridged across. Porte then made his move with 1.2km to go, surging past Hamilton and Bennett with Henao and then Woods responding.

Under the flame rouge, Porte was just a handful of meters ahead of the two chasers but then flicked the switch to ride away for his first win in BMC colours and third on the most prestigious hill climb stage in Australian cycling. 

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