Richie Porte seals fifth stage to close in on Tour Down Under title

ByReuters

Updated 21/01/2017 at 15:51 GMT

Australia's Richie Porte all but sealed the Tour Down Under title after finishing as runner-up in the last two years, when he clinched the fifth stage to Willunga with a brazen attack about a kilometre from the summit finish.

BMC Racing rider and overall leader Richie Porte of Australia poses on the podium after stage four of the Tour Down Under cycling race from Norwood to Campbelltown near Adelaide on January 20, 2017.

Image credit: AFP

The 31-year-old BMC leader finished the 151.5 kilometre stage from McLaren Vale to the summit of Willunga Hill 20 seconds ahead of compatriot Nathan Haas with Colombian climber Esteban Chavas in third.

Porte leads Orica-Scott's Chavas by 48 seconds ahead of the 90-kilometre final stage around the streets of Adelaide on Sunday.

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A group of four riders had broken away early in the race, but were caught well before the final 3.5 kilometre climb to the finish, with Porte launching his solo attack to clinch the stage for the fourth successive year.

"I tell you what, that hurt more than the other three I've won up here," Porte told reporters. "It was incredible teamwork today.

"This is not an easy climb - to win it is great for morale."

The six-stage race around South Australia is the first event on the 2017 UCI WorldTour calendar.

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