January 24, Stage 5: McLaren Vale - Wilunga Hill 151km
January 24, 2015: McLaren Vale - Wilunga Hill 151km
Matt White says: "This is traditionally the queen stage of the Tour Down Under, even more so since they changed it to an uphill finish. It's a dangerous stage for all the climbers as a split in the final kilometre can be the difference in winning the race or not. It's the biggest day for crowds and it's a very, very important day at the office for everybody.
The way the stage is set out, it can be windy and splits occur early in the stage, but it all boils down to the two laps up Willunga. The first lap is the first natural selection where you get rid of all the non-climbers but you still get a pretty big group going into the bottom for the last time. I guess BMC are going to have a few cards to play with two guys who will climb very fast up Willunga and that's when they need to put pressure on the non-climbers. As we saw in 2014 when Cadel lost contact in that last 300 metres, it ain't over till it's over as that split really made life hard for him to win the tour."
Winner - Richie Porte (Team Sky)
Stage details
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Latest on Cyclingnews
-
Tour of the Gila: Lauren Stephens goes three for three, Haug keeps men's lead
Fausto Esparza Martinez wins Fort Bayard stage in bunch sprint -
'Bigger than a bike race' - Huge crowds, party atmosphere, and tough competition cements legendary status for Athens Twilight Criterium in 45th year
'Athens Twilight is why I race bikes' says veteran Ty Magner -
'I didn't expect to be at this level already' – Remco Evenepoel still improving ahead of Liège-Bastogne-Liège clash with Tadej Pogačar
Olympic champion has surprised himself with such good shape after returning to racing from injury -
Vuelta Asturias: Ivan Garcia Cortina nabs breakaway win on stage 2
Movistar rider narrowly hangs onto victory ahead of chaser Julius Johansen in second, as Marc Soler finishes third and takes the overall lead