Tour Down Under 2015: Results stage 5 - Porte wins at Willunga Hill

Like last year, wins Richie Porte on Willunga Hill. And like last year, it is not enough to take the lead. Dennis finishes at 9 seconds and continues to lead the overall. Evans and Dumoulin are 16 seconds down, meaning Porte is GC’s runner-up, 2 seconds behind Dennis. The Tasmanian will be eyeing bonus-seconds tomorrow. (Slideshow route/profile)

Tour Down Under 2015: Results 5th stage

1. Richie Porte (aus)
2. Rohan Dennis (aus) + 0.09
3. Ruben Fernandez (spa) + 0.16
4. Cadel Evans (aus) s.t.
5. Tom Dumoulin (Nld) s.t.
6. Domenico Pozzovivo (ita) + 0.19
7. Tiago Machado (por) + 0.24
8. Moreno Moser (ita) + 0.26
9. Gorka Izagirre (spa) + 0.28
10. Arnold Jeannesson (fra) s.t.

GC after stage 5
1. Rohan Dennis (aus)
2. Richie Porte (aus) + 0.02
3. Cadel Evans (aus) + 0.20
4. Tom Dumoulin (Nld) + 0.22
5. Ruben Fernandez (spa) + 0.24
6. Domenico Pozzovivo (ita) + 0.31
7. Daryl Impey (Rsa) + 0.38
8. Tiago Machado (por) + 0.46
9. Gorka Izagirre (spa) + 0.52
10. Jarlison Gomez (col) + 0.53

Race report
Former race-leader Jack Bobridge escapes with Greg Henderson and John Kerby and the trio races to a 5 minutes gain. With 44 kilometres left Kerby is dropped, while Bobridge and Henderson keep up the pace.

The gap drops to less than 3 minutes with the first climb up Willunga Hill approaching. Once on the slopes Bobridge is on his own but he manages to take the KOM points, cementing his lead in the mountain jersey. What’s left of the pack is 1 minute down.

With 8 kilometres to go Lars Boom sets the pace and forces a split in the peloton. Cataldo, Sánchez Stetina, Evans, Dennis, Roy and Jeannesson are with the Dutchman, but Porte and Dumoulin missed out. Led by Sky, a group of 25 riders come back together again at the foot of the closing climb.

Porte attacks within the last kilometre and Dennis and Dumoulin are the only ones to follow.
A new next acceleration knocks Dumoulin off the pace. Dennis clings on, but is dropped when Porte keeps on pushing. In the end, the Tasmanian comes up 2 seconds short of the overall lead. Porte thus moves up to second place, with Cadel Evans third en Tom Dumoulin fourth.

Tomorrow, the Adelaide criterium has bonus-seconds on offer. If Porte wants to win the 2015 Santos Tour Down Under, he has no choice but to outsprint Rohans Dennis.