The penultimate stage of this year’s Tour Down Under is Stage 5, 151.5 kilometres from Mclaren Vale to Willunga Hill. Join me here on The Roar from 12:15pm (AEDT) for live coverage.
Yesterday we saw another win in the final sprint for the UniSA team, this time from Steele Van Hoff, the team continuing their incredible Tour.
However we also saw a nasty crash inside the last kilometres on the final straight, but it seems all the general classification contenders are fine to continue.
Pre-race sprint favourite Marcel Kittel (Giant) missed out for another day, meaning he realistically only has one chance which will come on Stage 6 in Adelaide.
Today’s stage features two ascents up Old Willunga Hill. Coming into the stage we see Rohan Dennis (BMC) with a seven-second lead on GC to teammate Cadel Evans, and it will be interesting to see how they decide to handle the situation.
The stage itself is lumpy the whole way before the final climbs up Williunga Hill. The riders begin the day with three laps of a circuit that is 40 kilometres in length from the start line in Mclaren Vale to the coast at Snapper Point, which is the location of the day’s two intermediate sprints which come at distances of 63.4 kilometres and 104.3 kilometres.
The first circuit lumps and bumps its way around before going up a solid hill and descending back down to the end of the circuit. At the end of the second lap of the circuit, it will look as if the riders are beginning another lap, however once they reach the end of Main Rd at Willunga, instead of turning right as they had been doing, the riders will turn left and line up the first ascent of Willunga Hill.
After reaching the summit of Willunga Hill for the first time at a distance of 129.1 kilometres they will descend and head back to main road. After reaching Willunga for the second time, they will turn left again and line up the finishing climb of Willunga Hill.
In a race that is decided by a matter of seconds year in and year out, and has a 10-second time bonus for a win, this stage can all but secure overall victory for those riders within a handful of seconds of the overall lead.
BMC have got some very interesting tactics to think about with both Rohan Dennis and Cadel Evans in very good positions to win the race overall, meanwhile riders like Richie Porte (Sky), Domenico Pozzovivo (AG2R), Michael Rogers (Saxo), Luis Leon Sanchez and Tom Dumoulin (Giant), know they will have the full support of their team, but will need to put in a mighty effort to unseat the BMC boys.
Either way it is going to be a fascinating stage so be sure to join The Roar from 12:15pm (AEDT) for our live coverage of the stage, and be sure to leave your thoughts in the comments.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Thanks for joining me this afternoon here on the Roar for our live coverage of stage 5 of this year's Tour Down Under which was won by Richie Porte. Be sure to check back in tomorrow for stage 6. I'm off to catch my breath for a couple of hours before i'll be back for tonight's first semi final of the 20/20 Big Bash. There is plenty of sport on at the moment so remember to keep it tuned to the Roar. Have a good Afternoon!
Scott Pryde
Expert
As the riders reached the final climb it was fairly quiet for the one and a half km of climbing then Richie Porte turned on the afterburners. Evans jumped straight into the wheel and Dennis right behind Evans. Then we saw Evans crack and Porte continue to put the hammer down. Dennis held on for grim life but eventually got dropped along with everyone else. Porte kept the engine running all the way to the line but in the end it just wasn't enough to take the leaders jersey off Dennis.
Scott Pryde
Expert
So after an all day breakaway, and a very frantic chase in the peloton that was just the start of the action. The peloton got split up on the final piece of flat road between McLaren Vale and Willunga as Lars Boom put the hammer down. Tam Sky and Orica Green Edge worked hard to bring it all back together before the final climb, even after the efforts of Astana along with Cadel Evans and Rohan Dennis and it has to be questioned whether or not them working was really the right option.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Luke Durbridge holds the lead of the King of the Mountains as well. Great ride from him today.
Scott Pryde
Expert
What an incredible stage we have seen here today. Richie Porte the winner, and Rohan Dennis holds his jersey.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Tour Down Under General Classification after Stage 5: 1 Rohan Dennis (BMC) @17:19:09 2 Richie Porte (Sky) +0:02 3 Cadel Evans (BMC) +0:20 4 Tom Dumoulin (Giant) +0:22 5 Rubén Fernandez (Movistar) +0:24 6 Domenico Pozzovivo (AG2R) +0:31 7 Daryl Impey (Orica) +0:38 8 Tiago Machado (Katusha) +0:46 9 Gorka Izagirre Insausti (Movistar) +0:52 10 Jarlinson Pantano (IAM) +0:53
Scott Pryde
Expert
Tour Down Under Stage 5 Results: Result 1 Richie Porte (Sky) @ 3:37:32 2 Rohan Dennis (BMC) +0:09 3 Rubén Fernandez (Movistar) +0:16 4 Cadel Evans (BMC) +0:16 5 Tom Dumoulin (Giant) +0:16 6 Domenico Pozzovivo (AG2R) +0:19 7 Tiago Machado (Katusha) +0:24 8 Moreno Moser (Cannondale Garmin) +0:26 9 Gorka Izagirre Insausti (Movistar) +0:28 10 Arnold Jeannesson (FDJ) +0:28
Scott Pryde
Expert
Results will be up in just a minute. Rohan Dennis will hold the leader's jersey by 2 seconds.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Still waiting for official results.
Scott Pryde
Expert
It certainly was.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Ruben Fernandez of Movistar has finished 3rd, Cadel Evans 4th and Tom Dumoulin 5th.
Scott Pryde
Expert
All we can do is sit and wait now to see if Dennis has done enough.
Matthew Boulden
Roar Guru
Well that was certainly the explosive finale everyone was hoping for. Awesome stage!
Scott Pryde
Expert
Rohan Dennis is slumped over his handlebars exhausted
Scott Pryde
Expert
Computers are saying a 9 second gap on the line which means Dennis holds his overall. That is not official though.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Taking into account time bonuses Porte needed 11 seconds on Dennis on the line.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Porte wins and collects 10 seconds. Dennis crossed 2nd and gets 6 seconds... Does he hang on or not? Hard to say for sure.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Dennis cracked and Porte rides away here with 200 meters to go.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Dennis hanging on to Porte. But now he is going and Porte is smashing it.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Under 1 km to go. Porte and Dennis lead.