Remember Cadel Evans (BMC Racing Team)' incredible performance on Corkscrew Road in the 3rd stage of the Tour Down Under 2014? He went off with Richie Porte (Team Sky) to finally get rid of him and go on alone to win that stage. That's about what's happened on Willunga Hill today but this time Richie Porte switched roles with and won the queen stage of the Tour Down Under quite nicely!

In the general classification, Simon Gerrans (Orica-GreenEDGE) takes back the leader's jersey from Cadel Evans.

The summary of the 5th stage of the Tour Down Under 2014: McLaren Vale > Willunga Hil

After a first unsuccessfull breakaway attempt, it was up to Jens Voigt (Trek Factory Racing), Mikhail Ignatyev (Team Katusha), Juan Jose Lobato (Movistar Team) and Matteo Trentin (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) to go off for a breakaway adventure at kilometer 2 of this 5th stage of the Tour Down Under 2014. Their gap approached the 9 minutes mark (!) after 36 kilometers in the race before going down to values around 6 minutes at the first intermediate sprint -which was won by Ignatyev- after 63 kilometers. About 35 kilometers further, at the second intermediate sprint, the Russian rider again took the points and the bonus seconds and the gap on the peloton was then down to 2'20".

The 4 leading riders briefly extended their gap again from there, to make sure they won't get back by the peloton before they start the climb of Willunga Hill. The peloton doesn't however let them go off again, especially because several riders are willing to win this stage. When the leading group starts the first climb their gap is thus down to 1'28" and in the climb they lose Juan Jose Lobato while Mikhail Ignatyev shows he doesn't want the adventure to stop so he tries to go off alone. Voigt and Trentin keep up the pace as well and get back on the Russian rider, thus allowing Jens Voigt to be the first on top of Willunga Hill.

Behind the 3 leading riders Axel Domont (AG2R La Mondiale) takes the 4th place, ahead of Adam Hansen (Lotto-Belisol). The leading trio continues to lose time and at a bit over 16 kilometers from the finish they are taken back by the peloton which goes on at high speed and thus splits up in two.

When they start the final climb of Willunga Hill the infatigable Jens Voigt is again leading the peloton but Cadel Evans (BMC Racing Team) attacks, probably dreaming to reproduce the show he did two days ago! Just like two days ago, Richie Porte (Team Sky) does the effort to get back on his compatriot while Simon Gerrans (Orica-GreenEDGE) tries to do the same. Also ahead of the race we find Diego Ulissi, as well as Adam Hansen, but Richie Porte shows he's the strongest rider of the day, attacking at a bit over one kilometer from the finish.

Porte thus goes off for the victory in this queen stage of the Tour Down Under 2014 while behind him Ulissi sprints for the 2nd place which he takes ahead of Simon Gerrans who does a good operation anyway in today's stage because, since Cadel Evans ends at the 6th place 4 seconds later, with the bonus seconds for the 3rd place Gerrans takes back the lead in the general classification, for only 1 second over Evans!

The result of the 5th stage of the Tour Down Under 2014

Here's the top 10 of this 5th stage of the Tour Down Under 2014:

1/ Richie Porte (Team Sky) - 3h42'20"
2/ Diego Ulissi (Lampre-Merida) - +0'10"
3/ Simon Gerrans (Orica-GreenEDGE)
4/ Robert Gesink (Belkin Pro Cycling Team) - +0'14"
5/ Daryl Impey (Orica-GreenEDGE)
6/ Cadel Evans (BMC Racing Team)
7/ Nathan Haas (Garmin-Sharp) - +0'17"
8/ Egor Silin (Team Katusha)
9/ Adam Hansen (Lotto-Belisol)
10/ Geraint Thomas (Team Sky) - +0'21"

In the general classification Simon Gerrans (Orica-GreenEDGE) is thus again leading, 1 second ahead of Cadel Evans (BMC Racing Team) and 5 ahead of Diego Ulissi (Lampre-Merida). In the last stage on the city circuit in Adelaide tomorrow, the Orica-GreenEDGE team will thus have to control the race in order to prevent Gerrans from losing the overall victory in an intermediate sprint or due to the bonus seconds at the finish!

The video of the 5th stage of the Tour Down Under 2014

Hereunder you'll find the summary video of the 5th stage of the Tour Down Under 2014:


© photos Richie Porte: Thomas Vergouwen / velowire.com, © photo stage start: Tim Ransome

door Thomas Vergouwen
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this publication is published in: Tour Down Under | Tour Down Under 2014

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