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Porte wins queen stage of the Tour Down Under, Impey assumes lead

Porte fastest up Willunga Hill for fifth consecutive year

January 19, 2018
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For the fifth year in a row, Richie Porte was the fastest rider up Willunga Hill, winning Saturday’s queen stage of the Santos Tour Down Under. However, he could not put enough time into Daryl Impey (South Africa/Mitchelton-Scott) to take the lead. The South African who won the 2014 Tour of Alberta winner seized the ochre jersey from Peter Sagan.


The Route
It was the big day for the GC men. After three laps of 40-km, the riders would clamber up Willunga Hill (3-km of 7.5%) twice including a summit finish. King of Willunga for four straight years, Porte was the heavy favourite to win the day and take over the ochre jersey, but 33-riders were within 14-seconds of Peter Sagan and Impey was only two-seconds in arrears. Finally, the extreme heat of the 20th TDU subsided Saturday and there were strong winds from the south.
https://twitter.com/BMCProTeam/status/954476436051591169
The Breakaway
Saturday’s course elicited a larger breakaway than in the first four stages. Habitual escapee Thomas De Gendt (Belgium/Lotto-Soudal) was in the septet. After the fugitives’ gap bounced up to 5:30, BMC came to the front of the peloton to shave off a minute. The break had a lead of 2:20 heading onto the first climb up Willunga.


BMC had plenty of assistance in bringing back the seven, with EF-Drapac, Bora-Hansgrohe, Bahrain-Merida and UAE-Emirates all pitching in. On the first passage, De Gendt, King of the Mountains leader Nickolas Dlamini (South Africa/Dimension Data) and one other escapee left the others behind. De Gendt attacked Dlamini, nailed down the maximum KOM points and carried on solo.

Endgame
De Gendt surrendered with 10-km to go. EF-Drapac grabbed the reins in the crosswinds as the peloton split and Porte lost teammates.


The pace was frantic as various squads took over the front. Once the slope kicked up, Sagan was in trouble. Rohan Dennis led the way for teammate Porte. With 1.5-km to go, Porte attacked and compatriot Jay McCarthy of Bora-Hansgrohe grabbed his wheel. A second thrust dislodged McCarthy, who fizzled in the final 500-metres. But Impey’s incredible pluck gave him second place on the day and the race lead by count back, as he and Porte have the same time. Impey was runner-up on three of the first five stages.

Sunday’s final stage is a 90-km city circuit in Adelaide. The action will be furious as bonus second will be key.

2018 Tour Down Under Stage 5
1) Richie Porte (Australia/BMC) 3:42:22
2) Daryl Impey (South Africa/Mitchelton-Scott) +0:08
3) Tom Jelte-Slagter (The Netherlands/Dimension-Data) +0:10
95) Antoine Duchesne (Canada/FDJ) +11:47

2018 Tour Down Under GC
1) Daryl Impey (South Africa/Mitchelton-Scott) 18:02:52
2) Richie Porte (Australia/BMC) s.t.
3) Tom Jelte-Slagter (The Netherlands/Dimension-Data) +0:10
98) Antoine Duchesne (Canada/FDJ) +33:01