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2017 Tour Down Under: Porte triumphs again on Willunga Hill

Australian poised to finally win home tour

January 20, 2017
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Richie Porte put his competitors to the sword on Saturday’s stage of the Tour Down Under, taking his second uphill finish victory in three days to cement the race lead with one stage to go. It was BMC’s main man’s fourth consecutive Willunga Hill win. Porte also survived an assault on his King of the Mountains lead.

Overnight, Porte led Gorka Izagirre (Spain/Movistar) by 20-seconds and Esteban Chaves (Colombia/Orica-Scott) by 22-seconds. Michael Woods was a further 11-seconds in arrears.

On the penultimate stage of the 19th edition, riders would tackle 151.5-km from McLaren Vale, with three trips around a western circuit before one of an eastern lap. There would be two trips up Willunga Hill 22-km apart.


The first breakaway didn’t take, but soon Thomas De Gendt (Belgium/Lotto-Soudal) and Jack Bauer (New Zealand/Quick Step) were up to their old tricks again with a couple of breakmates. The quartet enjoyed a maximum lead of 2:30 on the BMC-controlled peloton. Jeremy Maison (France/FDJ) took the first intermediate sprint at Snapper Point.

De Gendt pushed the breakaway, his reward the second intermediate sprint. With the first passage of Willunga Hill closing in, the gap increased slightly.


There was considerable dicing in the peloton for positioning before Passage 1. Movistar, BMC, Lotto-Soudal, LottoNL-Jumbo and Astana were full of intent. As the breakaway lost one raider, a couple of attackers flared off from the main bunch.

Topping Willunga gave De Gendt the outright lead in the King of the Mountains competition; he was tied with the same points as ocher-clad leader Porte and wearing the blue polka dot jersey. With 16.5-km to go the gap was 1:20 with Sky whipping along the streamlined field.

Orica-Scott joined Sky at the pointy end of the peloton and at the foot of the final clamber up Willunga the breakaway was hauled in. And elite group containing Porte, Chaves, Sky’s Sergio Henao and several others formed. Woods struggled to reach it.

Henao attacked first but Porte brought him back, Chaves on the Australian’s wheel. Then Porte powered away from the others, with Henao the closest to him. By the time Porte crossed the line, Nathan Haas (Australia/Dimension Data) had accelerated to become the day’s runner-up, Chaves just behind him, both 20-seconds slower than Porte.

Woods was 27th on the day, 1:01 back, and slipped out of the top-20.

With Sunday’s Adelaide crit remaining, Porte is poised to win his home tour after two consecutive runner-up spots.

2017 Tour Down Under Stage 5
1) Richie Porte (Australia/BMC) 3:40:13
2) Nathan Haas (Australia/Dimension Data) +0:20
3) Esteban Chaves (Colombia/Orica-Scott) s.t.
27) Michael Woods (Canada/Cannodale-Drapac) +1:01

2017 Tour Down Under GC
1) Richie Porte (Australia/BMC) 18:00:21
2) Esteban Chaves (Colombia/Orica-Scott) +0:48
3) Nathan Haas (Australia/Dimension Data) +0:51
21) Michael Woods (Canada/Cannodale-Drapac) +1:44