Richie Porte wins stage two of Tour Down Under and leads overall by 20 seconds
By Andy Charles
Last Updated: 18/01/17 10:20am
Richie Porte stormed to victory on stage two of the Tour Down Under to take the overall race lead.
Porte, runner-up in the last two editions of the race for Team Sky and current employers BMC Racing, eased away from the peloton on the final climb to the village of Paracombe.
The Australian had 16 seconds in hand on Spain's Gorka Izagirre (Movistar) and Orica-Scott leader Johan Esteban Chaves.
Porte's team-mate Rohan Dennis, who won a comparable stage on his way to taking the title in 2015, overcame a puncture to recover and claim fourth, heading a group which finished 19 seconds down on Porte.
That group also included Team Sky's Sergio Henao - another rider who had a late mechanical issue - and fellow climbers Michael Woods (Cannondale-Drapac), Domenico Pozzovivo (AG2R La Mondiale) and Robert Gesink (Lotto NL-Jumbo) among others.
After two fairly flat stages, they will have their main chance to knock Porte out of top spot on Saturday with the traditional stage finish on Willunga Hill.
"I know I've got good climbing legs and didn't really want to wait around. So to be able to ride away like that gives me good confidence," said Porte who, with bonus seconds in his pocket, leads the overall standings by 20 seconds from Izagirre,
"You know there are some stressful days coming up so I won't be counting our chickens until they hatch."
Stage 2 result:
1 Richie Porte (Aus) BMC Racing 3:46.06
2 Gorka Izagirre (Spa) Movistar +16s
3 Johan Esteban Chaves (Col) Orica-Scott same time
4 Rohan Dennis (Aus) BMC Racing +19s
5 Nathan Haas (Aus) Dimension Data same time
Overall standings:
1 Richie Porte (Aus) BMC Racing 7:10.14
2 Gorka Izagirre (Spa) Movistar +20s
3 Johan Esteban Chaves (Col) Orica-Scott +22s
4 Jay McCarthy (Aus) Bora-Hansgrohe +24s
5 Nathan Haas (Aus) Dimension Data +27
