In a demanding and mountainous finish, the Ecuadorian Jhonatan Narvaez (UAE Team Emirates – XRG) won the queen stage, the fifth of the Santos Tour Down Under between McLaren Vale and Willunga Hill, 145.7 kilometers, in which the Spanish Javier Romo (Movistar Team) lost the overall lead.
After a very lively first stage, the breakaway of the day was formed by 5 riders with Spanish representation in the hand of Juanpe Lopez (Lidl Trek). Along with the Andalusian, the British Ben Swift (INEOS Grenadiers), Pascal Eenkhoorn (Soudal Quick-Step), Michael Hepburn (Team Jayco – AlUla) and Oliver Bleddyn (Atom 6 – Decca).
On the approach to the first of two passes up Old Willunga Hill, teams like UAE began to impart a strong chase pace to neutralize the advance guard on the uphill. At that moment, the Team JAayco – AlUla tandem formed by Mauro Schmid and Chris Harper went into action, managing to crown the climb with a lead of 25” over the leader’s group.
The attempt of the local team would last until the last 10 kilometers, where the pursuit of INEOS Grenadiers led to the neutralization of both riders. Already in the second and final passage through Old Willunga Hill, Javier Romo defended the lead tooth and nail, making several changes of pace with the aim of reediting the victory achieved in the third stage.
After the attack of the Movistar Team rider, a group of five riders formed in the lead composed of Romo, Narváez, Onley and Plapp. Finally, the Ecuadorian rider made use of his great explosiveness to win the stage and take the lead in the general classification. The podium was completed by an inspired Oscar Onley and Fisher Black, who appeared out of nowhere to sneak onto the podium. Plapp and Romo crossed the finish line three seconds behind the winner.
The Australian World Tour race will end with the sixth and final stage, a 145.7-kilometer street circuit in the streets of Adelaide, where we will know the successor of British Stephen Williams, last year’s champion.
Santos Tour Down Under (2.UWT)
Results Stage 5 | McLaren Vale – Willunga Hill (145,7km)
| 1 | Jhonatan Narváez | UAE Team Emirates XRG | 3:17:02 |
| 2 | Oscar Onley | Team Picnic PostNL | m.t |
| 3 | Finn Fisher-Black | Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe | m.t |
| 4 | Lucas Plapp | Team Jayco-AlUla | 0:03 |
| 5 | Javier Romo | Movistar Team | 0:03 |
| 6 | Michael Woods | Israel-Premier Tech | 0:06 |
| 7 | Thomas Gloag | Team Visma | Lease a Bike | 0:06 |
| 8 | Magnus Sheffield | INEOS Grenadiers | 0:06 |
| 9 | Bastien Tronchon | Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team | 0:06 |
| 10 | Patrick Konrad | Lidl-Trek | 0:15 |
Ranking General
| 1 | Jhonatan Narváez | UAE Team Emirates – XRG | 17:26:02 |
| 2 | Javier Romo | Movistar Team | 0:09 |
| 3 | Finn Fisher-Black | Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe | 0:12 |
| 4 | Oscar Onley | Team Picnic PostNL | 0:15 |
| 5 | Bastien Tronchon | Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team | 0:24 |
| 6 | Luke Plapp | Team Jayco AlUla | ,, |
| 7 | Magnus Sheffield | INEOS Grenadiers | 0:27 |
| 8 | Thomas Gloag | Team Visma | Lease a Bike | ,, |
| 9 | Patrick Konrad | Lidl – Trek | 0:31 |
| 10 | Michael Woods | Israel – Premier Tech | 0:47 |
Source: Revista Mundo Ciclístico