Tour Down Under 2017: Stage 5

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January 1 - January 22, McLaren Vale, South Australia, Road - WorldTour

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Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the Tour Down Under stage 5, a 151.5km road race from McLaren Vale to Willunga Hill.

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Today is another big test for the general classification hopefuls at the Tour Down Under. The finish on Willunga Hill has often decided the overall winner, and today will likely be no different.

Before we dig into today's stage, let's take a look at what happened yesterday. Here's top 10 on the stage:

...And the current top 10 overall:

Stage 5 will take the pelpton for three laps around an initial circuit, then two laps around a second circuit that includes Willunga Hill, where the race finishes.

Stage 5 profile

Richie Porte finds himself in the unfamiliar position of having the race lead going into the Willunga Hill stage, although he's won there the past four years. Find out what Porte had to say about today's stage in this article by our Zeb Woodpower.

For further review, here's a look at where the jerseys stand:

We're 10 minutes from the start.

And we're off for a very short race neutral

Another rider looking to do well today is Australian Michael Storer, who told us he's hoping to take the jersey for best young rider today. Read about Storer HERE. 

Danny Van Poppel probably won't be in the running for stage victory today, but the Team Sky rider has finished on the podium twice so far and was fourth on stage 3. He's had a tough time getting past three-stage winner Caleb Ewan and World Champion Peter Sagan, but he says there's no shame in finishing behind them. Read more of what Van Poppel had to say.

The race is underway and we've already got four riders off the front.

Van Rensburg is highest placed escapee at 80th place, 5:56 behind Porte. The peloton should be happy with this move.

145km remaining from 151km

Still together after the peloton brought back that initial escape attempt.

Looking for something to listen to while we reel off the kilometres today? Check out . 

 

 

Four new riders have jumped away:

You'll recognise Bauer from yesterday's breakaway. He was the final survivor

The gap for the quartet of escapees has gone up to 1:25

Bauer is the best-placed rider in the break. He's in 46th place, 1:27 behind the race leader.

Damiano Caruso (BMC) is in a spot of trouble with his chain.

127km remaining from 151km

BMC is on the font again today. The team has been doing a lot of work on the front for Porte, who took the lead on stage 2.

The roads are currently flat and straight as the peloton makes it way back to McLaren Vale.

The peloton is not riding with a lot of urgency. The gap should be going up.

We recently profiled the bike Thomas De Gendt is riding in today's breakaway. Read more about De Gendt's Ridley Helium SLX.

Clarke and Bauer are both talking with their team cars.

121km remaining from 151km

The peloton is on a slight incline now, while both Bauer and Clarke are back in the breakaway.

There are some Jen Voigt fans on the route today. The retired pro is a race ambassador who rode the Bupa fan ride yesterday

The peloton is on the opening lap, currently on rolling roads surrounded by vineyards.

Maison's FDJ teammate Odd Christin Eiking is a rider who is hoping to perform well on Willunga Hill. We caught up with him this morning.

Did you miss yesterday's stage? You can watch the stage 4 video highlights here.

106km remaining from 151km

BMC is leading the bunch through McLaren Vale at a steady clip as the gap stays at 2:15

BMC is really keeping this gap pegged at 2:15. 

95km remaining from 151km

92km remaining from 151km

Ventoso has been an amazing workhorse for BMC. The 34-year-old Spaniard is in his first race with BMC after riding with Movistar the past six years.

Riders have gone through the first intermediate sprint at 63.4km. Officiaul results:

The scenery along the coast here is beautiful. The peloton is enjoying it while the breakaway has turned inland.

One more lap before the race jumps onto the final two Willunga Hill circuits.

The peloton is really lined out, which is odd considering the gap is holding steady. 

80km remaining from 151km

75km remaining from 151km

Ventoso has held this four-man group at two minutes for quite awhile. You get the feeling they can close this down at will. 

We gave the keys of our Instagram account to Cannondale-Drapac's Alex Howes. Check out what Alex is up to HERE.

New Gap is 1:45 as the breakaway nears the end of the McClaren Vale laps.

The breakaway out on course. Beautiful day for a bike race.

...and the chase.

53km remaining from 151km

Hold on. The gap is back up to 2:00

We're nearing the second sprint of the day at Snapper Point - 103.4km

Several teams have come to the front of the peloton. Things should start getting interesting. Porte's team has had to chase all day, but since Ventoso did most of that work, the rest of Porte's teammates should be relatively fresh.

Another photos front he course today. Not all the fans are two-legged.

That didn't last long; Ventoso has assumed his spot back on the front of the chase

Breakaway is going under the sprint banner. They roll through, with De Gendt taking the points ahead of Bauer and Clarke.

Breakaway is going under the sprint banner. They roll through, with De Gendt taking the points ahead of Bauer and Clarke.

Breakaway is going under the sprint banner. They roll through, with De Gendt taking the points ahead of Bauer and Clarke.

The peloton is turning away form the coast soon and heading toward McClaren Vale and then onto the Willunga circuit in 20 more km

44km remaining from 151km

Sky near the front now, too, but Ventoso is back on the front. New gap 2:20

While Alex Howes takes over our Instagram account, we're taking a look at his bike. Read more about Howes' Cannondale SuperSix EVO

The gap has gone up yet again. It's 2:30 now.

44km remaining from 151km

37km remaining from 151km

Cyclingnews caught up with Cannondale-Drapac's Tom Scully this morning before the start. Here's what he had to say.

We also spoke with Richie Porte, Caleb Ewan and Esteban Chaves for our latest Tour Down Under Podcast. You can listen HERE.

New gap 3:05

30km remaining from 151km

Lotto Soudal has tweeted that James Shaw has abandoned the race

The leaders are heading up Willunga Hill for the first time, and the gap is down to 2:30

The peloton is spread across the road as teams try to get their leaders in position near the front. Riders are having difficulty in the back of the peloton

Chris Hamilton (Sunweb) and Giovanni Visconti (Bahrain - Merida) have attacked the bunch, while Clarke has dropped out of the break

600 metres from the top. Thomas De Gendt will be going after the KOM point to try and take the jersey from Porte.

De Gendt is first over the top, followed by Bauer and Maison. No challenge to De Gendt.

The trio up front take the bell for the final lap. Just over 20km to go

Maison really suffered on the climb and is now skipping turns from the lead trio.

De Gend leads the mountains classification now. There's one more KOM today at the finish.

17km remaining from 151km

16km remaining from 151km

Ian Stannard pulling the peloton along while the leaders free wheel down a fast descent. 90km/h for the leaders

Latest gap from race radio is 1:20. Bauer, who started 1:27 down on Porte, is no longer the virtual leader

It's not looking good for r=the breakaway. Will Bauer, who is wear the "most combative" number, be the final survivor again?

12km remaining from 151km

The leaders are on a long, straight road now. Surely the peloton will have them in their sights soon. Gap is 45 seconds.

Stannard is still driving the peloton, which is about 400 metres behind the lead trio

8km remaining from 151km

The leaders have 35 seconds and just turned onto the road toward Willunga.

About 5km to go to reach the final climb

The gap is 30 seconds and Stannard swings off. Riders at the back of the peloton are struggling. It's Daryl Impey's turn on the front.

Riders are really fighting to hold the wheels as the peloton really bears down

Orica-Scott still leading the chase

6km remaining from 151km

5km remaining from 151km

Overall runner-up Gorka Izagirre is trudging to move up into contention for the finale.

Amazingly, Bauer went to the front to lead the peloton onto the climb

Orica is trying to control things, but Quick-Step is there, along with Porte and Simon Gerrans

Kenny Elissonde driving it for Team Sky and Sergio Henao

Porte, Chaves and Henao ready for the final push

Elissonde pulls off.

Sebastian Henao, Chves, Porte, Sergio Henao, Pozzovivo, McCarhty all fighting in the lead group. Woods trying to bridge.

Sebastian Henao is clear

Port staring up in the led now. Chaves marks, him, as well as Henao. Valls is there

And Porte is gone. One more kick up and he'll get another win in Willunga and add to his overall lead.

The Australian is clearly the strongest rider in this race

No one in sight behind Porte.

Henao is next on the road, followed by Chaves.

Porte looks s strong. This should get the attention of his Grand Tour rivals.

Porte wins, followed by Nathan Haas and Esteban Chaves. Hass came form nowhere. He'll move into third overall.

Stage top 10:

General Classification after stage 5

"I have been close here but to win the stage like that, it is nice for me. I get the accolades up there on the on the podium as the winner but I cant say enough for my teammates, each and everyone of them put me in great position today and it is just nice to finish it off. There is one day to go and I would love to win this race and just so happy."

Movistar's Gorka Izaguirre lost his second place on the GC, slipping to 28th overall

Dimension Data's Nathan Haas finished second on the stage to rise to third on GC. He spoke to the press after his performance.

Team Sky came into the race aiming to put Sergio Henao onto the podium but couldn't quite deliver. The Colombian delivered their verdict on the day's racing.

Team Sky's director sportif Brett Lancaster also shared his thoughts on the stage and result.

One of the revelations in last year's race, Michael Woods, was unable to back up his fifth place overall but director sportif Tom Southam is focusing on the big picture and the long climbs of the Giro d'Italia in May for his rider.

Bora's Jay McCarthy kept his fourth position on GC but the young Australian was aiming for more on Willunga Hill as a brush of wheels inside 2km to go halted his momentum and took the gloss of an otherwise good day of racing.

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