Australian Rider Captures Fifth-Straight Victory on Willunga Hill on Stage 5 of 2018 Santos Tour Down Under

Stage 5 at the 2018 Santos Tour Down Under marks the race's queen stage, as riders tackled the longest day in the saddle of this year's edition.

The peloton departed from Main Road in McLaren Valen at 11:10 am local time on another scorching day in South Australia.

A seven rider pack took off from the start at a quick pace, putting a 2' gap on the peloton after 6 kilometers of racing.

The breakaway held their largest gap of the day at the 34 kilometer mark, 4'50'' ahead of the field, but their lead soon began to dwindle.

Fumiyuki Beppu (Trek-Segafredo), one of the riders in the break, took the top sprint points at Snapper Point 63.4 kilometers into the day.

On the second sprint through Snapper Point, 103.4 kilometers into the stage, Thomas De Gendt (Lotto-Soudal) crossed the line first.

De Gendt held his lead in the break, and also took the KOM on the first trip up iconic Willunga Hill.

15 kilometers from the finish De Gendt was promptly reeled in by the peloton, as the pack came back together for the finish.

The wind quickly began to factor into the race, separating riders on the technical descents.

With 2 kilometers remaining to the finish, Rohan Dennis (BMC) was in the premier position, working at the front of the pack, with Egan Bernal (Team Sky) and Stage 4 winner Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe) in tow.

In the final kilometer Rohan Dennis continued to work had on the front before setting up teammate Richie Porte (BMC) to make his move.

Jay McCarthy (Bora-Hansgrohe) pursued Porte, following closely on Porte's wheel in the final meters to the summit of Willunga Hill.

Porte was able to hold pace, putting a gap on McCarthy who ended up in a battle for second place with Egan Bernal.

Ultimately, Richie Porte captured the stage by gapping the field, as Daryl Impey (Mitchelton-Scott) and Tom Jelta Slagter (Dimension Data) put in powerful surges to take second and third on the stage, respectively.

The final stage of the 2018 Tour Down Under will depart from King William Street in Adelaide on Saturday at 1:30 pm local time, covering 90 kilometers through the historic city.


Stage 5 Top 10 Finishers

1st: Richie Porte (BMC)
2nd: Daryl Impey (Mitchelton-Scott)
3rd: Tom Jelte Slagter (Dimension Data)
4th: Dries Devenyns (Quick Step Floors)
5th: Egan Bernal (Team Sky)
6th: Gorka Izagirre (Bahrain-Merida)
7th: Diego Ulissi (UAE Team Emirates)
8th: Robert Gesink (Lotto NL-Jumbo)
9th: Ion Izagirre (Bahrain-Merida)
10th: Ruben Guerreiro (Trek-Segafredo)