TDU: Ewan and Porte the Big Winners Down Under

The final stage of the Tour Down Under won by Caleb Ewan whilst Richie Porte clinches the overall

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TDU: Ewan and Porte the Big Winners Down Under
Photo credit: Santos Tour Down Under / Regallo 

He’s been second twice but today Richie Porte finally took home the trophy, winning the 2017 Santos Tour Down Under by an impressive margin. It was Porte’s first race back after breaking his shoulder blade five months ago in the Olympic Games road race.

“After crashing in Rio and injuring myself in a nasty crash, it wasn’t too hard to motivate myself for this race,” said Porte. “I had a good break and I came here fresh, physically and mentally. “It was a dream for me to win this race.”

But the dream only happened because of superb riding both by him and the BMC Racing Team. “It’s incredible to come back here and win the Santos Tour Down Under after being so close in the last two years,” said Porte. “I owe each day of racing successfully here to my team-mates. They took me to the line every day and it’s a massive credit to them.”

While Porte has twice won Paris-Nice (2013 and 2015) and in 2015 also won the Volta a Catalunya and the Giro del Trentino, a win in Australia’s prestige WorldTour event has eluded him until today. “The journalists were saying that the race was over yesterday but by no means was it over,” said Porte despite going into the stage with a 48 second buffer over ORICA-SCOTT’s Colombian climber Esteban Chaves after winning both mountain stages of the Tour in emphatic fashion.

“This is a hard criterium and I’m glad I came out of it unscathed,” said Porte. The Tasmanian crossed safely in 48th position in the bunch at the end of a hectic finale that gave Caleb Ewan (ORICA-SCOTT) his fourth stage win of the tour.

Win number four for Ewan

“I can’t believe it,” said Ewan after again edging out reigning World Champion Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe) on the line ahead of Slovenian Marko Kump (UAE Abu Dhabi) in third. “Actually, coming to this Tour I joked with my girlfriend saying that I’d win four stages and I’ve done it but I didn’t believe I would with the level of sprinters that are here.

“Maybe Sagan isn’t in his best form but he’s still the world’s best rider at the moment (and) it’s been great having him here. All the people love him. The World Champion racing here, it’s fantastic.” Sagan, meantime, went into the final 90 kilometre stage, 20 laps of the Adelaide CBD Circuit, with a dual goal. He wanted to sprint well at the finish but that was not his top priority.

“Today we are riding for Jay (McCarthy),” said Sagan before the stage of his team mate who was only three seconds off third place on the overall standings. “I am very happy… I am getting my condition back, and it’s been a good week of racing. This is a very nice race, it is very organised, and I am glad I am here,” said Sagan after doing his part to move McCarthy into third by giving him a solid lead out in the iiNet intermediate sprint at the end of lap eight.

“Mission accomplished today,” said McCarthy who grabbed the three second time bonus on the first sprint. “It was tight, but I had a great team leading me out for that intermediate sprint today. who better than the World Champion for the job? It’s a great honour. To make the podium was my goal for the week. At the beginning of the race, people were questioning why I was going for the time bonuses, when there are other places to make a difference, but I always knew the podium would be decided by seconds.”

Also putting his team ahead of his own ambitions was Ewan who also contested the first sprint to protect the second placed ranking of Chaves. “Today we had to be careful about the podium spot, so that is why we had Caleb to make the intermediate sprint,” said Chaves. “The team did a fantastic job all week, and it has been very special to race here in Australia.Richie was at another level here, so to be second is a great start for me, maybe I can come back next year to try to win.”

The 741 thousand fans who witnessed this year’s race certainly hope he does as the young Colombian is one of the most popular in the peloton. While Porte won outright he surrendered the Subaru King of the Mountain prize to Belgian Thomas De Gendt. “With Porte winning two stages, he already had many points (and I knew) it would be hard,” said De Gendt who nonetheless did not give in. “I had to attack two days, and today I had to get into the break before the sprint. I had to give my all just to get that mountain sprint.”

Another race within today’s race was the battle for Best Young Rider honours which Jonathan Restrepo (Katusha-Alpecin) locked up by winning the second intermediate iiNet sprint on lap twelve after joining a breakaway group that formed after the first climb of the day. “I am very happy… this is important for me, for my team and the sponsors,” said the 22 year old Colombian who finished in tenth place overall. “It was safer to be up the road when I decided to attack.”

The UniSA-Australia national team line up takes home the Wilson Parking Winning Team classification after a week of consistent performances by the seven man roster. They finish 1:19 clear of Movistar in the accumulated final times of their best three finishers.

“The team prize is massive.,” said the team’s best placed rider Nathan Earle who finished the Tour eleventh, 1:06 behind Porte. “We came here at the start of the week without a plan to go for the team classification but after Paracombe (Wednesday), it was possible, and we just smashed it all week. We showed throughout the Tour that we could be consistent,” explained Earle. “It was my goal to try to win nationals where I got fifth and earned a spot to come here. I think I proved myself on the climbs, but unfortunately just slipped out of top ten today.”

The final stage was raced at a cracking average speed of 47km/h. De Gendt (Lotto-Soudal) and Gianluca Brambilla (Quick-Step Floors) launched an early attack with De Gendt’s eyes on the climber’s prize.  But the Bora-Hansgrohe team shut down the break at 13 to go as the bell rang a lap out from the first of two iiNet intermediate sprints.

Despite being stymied early, De Gendt wasn’t about to give up and with support from a team mate he pulled clear of the bunch as the race approached the climb for points. De Gendt collected the three points to take the outright lead in the climbing category.

Soon after a breakaway group of five formed with Johannes Frohlinger (Team Sunweb), Ben O’Connor and Jaco Venter (Dimension Data), Francois Bidard (AG2R La Mondiale) and New Zealander Jack Bauer (Quick – Step Floors). Restrepo joined them to grab the sprint points before the break dissolved leaving only a tenacious Bauer in front solo for the third day in a row.

He was again named Most Competitive Rider of the stage for his efforts to animate the final laps but even he knew today would be a sprinters stampede at the finish.
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Final Stage
1 *EWAN Caleb ORS 01:55:28
2 SAGAN Peter BOH ST
3 KUMP Marko UAD ST
4 *VAN POPPEL Danny SKY ST
5 DE BIE Sean LTS ST
6 *MANZIN Lorrenzo FDJ ST
7 DE KORT Koen TFS ST
8 SUTTERLIN Jasha MOV ST
9 HAAS Nathan DDD ST
10 MCCARTHY Jay BOH ST
11 VAKOC Petr QST ST
12 KELDERMAN Wilco SUN ST
13 PLANCKAERT Baptiste KAT ST
14 *SCOTSON Callum AUS ST
15 POZZOVIVO Domenico ALM ST
16 ARASHIRO Yukiya TBM ST
17 CHAVES Johan Esteban ORS ST
18 ARNDT Nikias SUN ST
19 *BONIFAZIO Niccolo TBM ST
20 ULISSI Diego UAD ST
21 GESINK Robert TLJ ST
22 THEUNS Edward TFS ST
23 BEVIN Patrick CDT ST
24 BRESCHEL Matti AST ST
25 VALLS Rafael LTS ST
26 DENNIS Rohan BMC ST
27 SLAGTER Tom-Jelte CDT ST
28 VAN ASBROECK Tom CDT ST
29 MARCATO Marco UAD ST
30 *GUERREIRO Ruben TFS ST
31 RENSHAW Mark DDD ST
32 SELIG Rudiger BOH ST
33 HOWES Alex CDT ST
34 LAMMERTINK Maurits KAT ST
35 LADAGNOUS Matthieu FDJ ST
36 *EIKING Odd Christian FDJ ST
37 SANCHEZ Luis-Leon AST ST
38 MARTENS Paul TLJ ST
39 VALGREN Michael AST ST
40 SWIFT Ben UAD ST
41 CHEVRIER Clement ALM ST
42 HENAO Sergio Luis SKY ST
43 BARBERO CUESTA Carlos MOV ST
44 MONTAGUTI Matteo ALM ST
45 *RESTREPO VALENCIA Jhonatan KAT ST
46 EARLE Nathan AUS ST
47 PANTANO Jarlinson TFS ST
48 PORTE Richie BMC ST
49 GASTAUER Ben ALM ST
50 MORI Manuele UAD ST
51 KOLAR Michael BOH ST
52 IMPEY Daryl ORS ST
53 DEVENYNS Dries QST ST
54 *HOFSTEDE Lennard SUN ST
55 WOODS Michael CDT ST
56 HERRADA Jesus MOV ST
57 *STORER Michael AUS ST
58 *HENAO GOMEZ Sebastian SKY ST
59 BRAJKOVIC Janez TBM ST
60 BAK Lars Ytting LTS ST
61 MEINTJES Louis UAD ST
62 ELISSONDE Kenny SKY ST
63 *MAS Enric QST ST
64 HANSEN Adam LTS ST
65 *HAMILTON Lucas AUS ST
66 MACHADO Tiago KAT ST
67 WYSS Danilo BMC ST
68 VISCONTI Giovanni TBM ST
69 CINK Ondrej TBM ST
70 *SCOTSON Miles BMC ST
71 *VERMEULEN Alexey TLJ ST
72 STETINA Peter TFS ST
73 ROUX Anthony FDJ ST
74 *HAMILTON Chris SUN ST
75 DE LA PARTE Victor MOV ST
76 MOINARD Amael BMC ST
77 JANSE VAN RENSBURG Jacques DDD ST
78 *HINDLEY Jai AUS ST
79 GERRANS Simon ORS ST
80 HERRADA LOPEZ Jose MOV ST
81 GONCALVES José KAT ST
82 BYSTROM Sven Erik KAT ST
83 DIDIER Laurent TFS ST
84 BERARD Julien ALM ST
85 IZAGUIRRE Gorka MOV ST
86 BAKELANTS Jan ALM ST
87 CARUSO Damiano BMC ST
88 ARMEE Sander LTS 11
89 COURTEILLE Arnaud FDJ ST
90 *O’CONNOR Ben DDD ST
91 *MUHLBERGER Gregor BOH ST
92 TIRALONGO Paolo AST ST
93 VICIOSO Angel KAT ST
94 LAENGEN Vegard Stake UAD ST
95 CLARKE William CDT 14
96 MORTON Lachlan David DDD ST
97 MEYER Cameron AUS 15
98 ROWE Luke SKY 17
99 *SOLER GIMENEZ Marc MOV ST
100 FROHLINGER Johannes SUN ST
101 GRMAY Tsgabu Gebremaryam TBM ST
102 BIDARD Francois ALM ST
103 ZAKHAROV Artyom AST ST
104 *MAISON Jeremy FDJ ST
105 STANNARD Ian SKY ST
106 VELITS Martin QST ST
107 BATTAGLIN Enrico TLJ ST
108 *PEDERSEN Mads TFS 26
109 GATTO Oscar AST ST
110 WAGNER Robert TLJ 36
111 *BAUHAUS Phil SUN 38
112 BRAMBILLA Gianluca QST 50
113 CAPECCHI Eros QST ST
114 THOMAS Geraint SKY 53
115 DE VREESE Laurens AST 56
116 FENG Chun Kai TBM 57
117 FARRAR Tyler DDD 01:03
118 DE GENDT Thomas LTS 01:06
119 SCULLY Thomas CDT 01:13
120 *JENNER Samuel AUS 01:14
121 GESCHKE Simon SUN ST
122 DURBRIDGE Luke ORS 01:22
123 POSTLBERGER Lukas BOH 01:28
124 BENNETT Sam BOH 01:31
125 VENTER Jaco DDD ST
126 *BOUWMAN Koen TLJ 02:11
127 LINDEMAN Bert-Jan TLJ ST
128 KLUGE Roger ORS 02:25
129 HOWSON Damien ORS 02:36
130 VENTOSO Francisco BMC 02:43
131 BAUER Jack QST ST

General
1 PORTE Richie BMC 19:55:49
2 CHAVES Johan Esteban ORS 48
3 MCCARTHY Jay BOH 51
4 HAAS Nathan DDD ST
5 ULISSI Diego UAD 59
6 DENNIS Rohan BMC 01:02
7 VALLS Rafael LTS ST
8 GESINK Robert TLJ ST
9 KELDERMAN Wilco SUN ST
10 *RESTREPO VALENCIA Jhonatan KAT 01:04
11 EARLE Nathan AUS 01:06
12 HENAO Sergio Luis SKY ST
13 HERRADA Jesus MOV 01:15
14 SLAGTER Tom-Jelte CDT 01:18
15 *STORER Michael AUS ST
16 SANCHEZ Luis-Leon AST 01:19
17 POZZOVIVO Domenico ALM 01:23
18 *GUERREIRO Ruben TFS 01:25
19 *EIKING Odd Christian FDJ 01:29
20 VISCONTI Giovanni TBM 01:38
21 WOODS Michael CDT 01:44
22 CINK Ondrej TBM 01:45
23 PANTANO Jarlinson TFS 02:03
24 *HAMILTON Lucas AUS 02:04
25 *HINDLEY Jai AUS 02:08
26 *MAS Enric QST 02:12
27 DEVENYNS Dries QST 02:16
28 IZAGUIRRE Gorka MOV 02:20
29 STETINA Peter TFS 02:24
30 GONCALVES José KAT 02:25
31 BAKELANTS Jan ALM 02:45
32 *O’CONNOR Ben DDD 02:47
33 VAKOC Petr QST 02:49
34 ROUX Anthony FDJ 03:12
35 LAMMERTINK Maurits KAT 03:15
36 HERRADA LOPEZ Jose MOV ST
37 BRAMBILLA Gianluca QST 03:44
38 SWIFT Ben UAD 04:16
39 DIDIER Laurent TFS 04:23
40 GERRANS Simon ORS 04:43
41 CARUSO Damiano BMC 04:48
42 IMPEY Daryl ORS ST
43 DE LA PARTE Victor MOV 04:57
44 ARMEE Sander LTS ST
45 BEVIN Patrick CDT 05:04
46 *VERMEULEN Alexey TLJ 05:34
47 BRAJKOVIC Janez TBM 06:05
48 *SOLER GIMENEZ Marc MOV 06:17
49 THOMAS Geraint SKY 06:27
50 BAUER Jack QST 06:28
51 MONTAGUTI Matteo ALM 06:44
52 MEYER Cameron AUS 07:00
53 BYSTROM Sven Erik KAT 07:07
54 MARTENS Paul TLJ 07:27
55 BAK Lars Ytting LTS 07:28
56 *HAMILTON Chris SUN 07:31
57 GASTAUER Ben ALM 08:01
58 MACHADO Tiago KAT 08:03
59 MEINTJES Louis UAD 08:04
60 LADAGNOUS Matthieu FDJ 08:08
61 HANSEN Adam LTS 08:14
62 JANSE VAN RENSBURG Jacques DDD 08:24
63 MORI Manuele UAD 08:36
64 VALGREN Michael AST 09:22
65 BIDARD Francois ALM 09:32
66 *MUHLBERGER Gregor BOH 09:41
67 CHEVRIER Clement ALM 10:11
68 WYSS Danilo BMC 10:13
69 ZAKHAROV Artyom AST 10:18
70 ARASHIRO Yukiya TBM 10:20
71 SAGAN Peter BOH 10:24
72 CAPECCHI Eros QST 10:39
73 LAENGEN Vegard Stake UAD 10:59
74 MARCATO Marco UAD 11:08
75 GRMAY Tsgabu Gebremaryam TBM 12:10
76 VICIOSO Angel KAT ST
77 SUTTERLIN Jasha MOV 12:16
78 BATTAGLIN Enrico TLJ 12:27
79 *MAISON Jeremy FDJ 12:38
80 MORTON Lachlan David DDD 12:57
81 *HENAO GOMEZ Sebastian SKY 13:08
82 GESCHKE Simon SUN 13:09
83 PLANCKAERT Baptiste KAT 13:33
84 DE KORT Koen TFS 14:10
85 TIRALONGO Paolo AST 14:31
86 MOINARD Amael BMC 14:57
87 *HOFSTEDE Lennard SUN 15:08
88 ELISSONDE Kenny SKY 15:11
89 *EWAN Caleb ORS 16:11
90 VELITS Martin QST 17:00
91 THEUNS Edward TFS 17:05
92 *JENNER Samuel AUS 17:08
93 DE BIE Sean LTS 17:59
94 DE GENDT Thomas LTS 18:29
95 VENTER Jaco DDD 18:45
96 HOWES Alex CDT 20:28
97 ROWE Luke SKY 21:03
98 ARNDT Nikias SUN 21:11
99 DURBRIDGE Luke ORS 21:59
100 BERARD Julien ALM 22:45
101 COURTEILLE Arnaud FDJ 22:54
102 FENG Chun Kai TBM 22:55
103 LINDEMAN Bert-Jan TLJ 23:35
104 *BONIFAZIO Niccolo TBM 24:02:00
105 *SCOTSON Callum AUS 24:46:00
106 SCULLY Thomas CDT 24:50:00
107 STANNARD Ian SKY 24:56:00
108 *SCOTSON Miles BMC 25:01:00
109 KUMP Marko UAD 25:39:00
110 *MANZIN Lorrenzo FDJ 26:19:00
111 DE VREESE Laurens AST 26:38:00
112 KLUGE Roger ORS 26:44:00
113 BARBERO CUESTA Carlos MOV 27:13:00
114 VAN ASBROECK Tom CDT 27:49:00
115 SELIG Rudiger BOH ST
116 BRESCHEL Matti AST 28:09:00
117 RENSHAW Mark DDD 28:14:00
118 BENNETT Sam BOH ST
119 *VAN POPPEL Danny SKY 28:42:00
120 *BAUHAUS Phil SUN 30:01:00
121 FARRAR Tyler DDD 30:02:00
122 KOLAR Michael BOH 30:24:00
123 CLARKE William CDT 30:36:00
124 WAGNER Robert TLJ 32:01:00
125 FROHLINGER Johannes SUN 36:11:00
126 HOWSON Damien ORS 36:58:00
127 POSTLBERGER Lukas BOH 37:02:00
128 *BOUWMAN Koen TLJ 37:44:00
129 VENTOSO Francisco BMC 38:19:00
130 *PEDERSEN Mads TFS 38:59:00
131 GATTO Oscar AST 46:55:00

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