Ecuadorian Jhonatan Narváez slick tactical move to win sprint, claim Tour Down Under honours
Ecuadorian Jhonatan Narváez has conquered Willunga Hill and will win the Tour Down Under after finishing second in the race last year.
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Ecuadorian Jhonatan Narváez has conquered Willunga Hill and will win the Tour Down Under after finishing second in the race last year.
While there is still one stage to go, a closed course around the city, the UAE Team Emirates rider has a nine-second lead at the front of the race and barring a crash will come away from the 2025 TDU with the Ochre Jersey after finishing second last year.
In a thrilling fifth 145.7km stage from McLaren Vale to Willunga Hill, Narváez conquered the iconic climb with a blistering sprint to leave Australian Luke Plapp, Brit Oscar Onley and the Ochre Jersey leader Javier Romo in his wake en route for victory.
“It was not easy,” he said.
“My team was really important, everyone did their job.”
While Jayco-AlUla sporting director Mathew Hayman hinted the previous day that it would be hard to shred the peloton up the final climb of Willunga Hill the Australian team sprung a massive surprised with what initially appeared to be an inspired tactic to blow open the race.
Through workhorse Chris Harper and Swiss champion Mauro Schmid, they attacked on the first climb of Willunga Hill and were able to establish a 30 second gap.
But on the flat section of road approaching the final ascent up Willunga Hill the peloton were able to reel the Jayco duo back in.
And a group driven by INEOS Grenadires took the initiative, attacking and catching out Jayco’s Ochre Jersey hope Plapp just before the grueling climb.
Plapp and his group were able to rejoin that group just in time for the final battle up Willunga Hill.
Ochre Jersey leader Romo attacked almost immediately up the iconic climb with a huge move as he looked to defend his lead and win and seal the victory in style.
He bravely got to within the final kilometre but a group featuring Plapp, Brit Oscar Onley, New Zealand’s Finn Fisher-Black and last year’s runner up Narvaez caught him with 600m to go.
The four raced up to the top of Willunga Hill but Narváez’s ability to sprint would always be key and he raced away from them on the final corner and held on to what will be a race-winning move.
AUSSIES DIDN’T DIE WONDERING
Jayco-AlUla rider Chris Harper says the team can be happy they didn’t die wondering with their tactic to try and get Luke Plapp the Tour Down Under win despite the Australian WorldTour team’s lean run at its home race continuing.
UAE Team Emirates Jhonatan Narvaez will win the 2025 edition of the TDU after winning a thrilling Stage 5 up Willunga Hill and claiming the Ochre Jersey with one stage to go - a circuit around the Adelaide city.
The Ecuadorian - who finished second last year - sprinted away from a group including former race leader Javier Romo, Plapp, Brit Oscar Onley and New Zealand’s Finn Fisher-Black in the final 100m up Willunga Hill to claim the stage win and the time bonus on offer.
He now has a nine-second lead going into the final day of racing on Sunday.
His winning move came after Jayco sprung a surprise on the rest of the peloton on the first ascent of Willunga Hill on the 145.7km when he and teammate Mauro Schmid attacked and quickly opened up 30 second gap.
But they were caught on the flat section of road approaching the final crack of the iconic climb and a group countered and caught out Plapp - who had been riding towards the back of the peloton this entire TDU.
He was able to jump back on just before the climb started but didn’t have the speed to beat Narvaez on the final sprint.
It means that Simon Yates’ win on the final stage of 2023 is the only win Australia’s only WorldTour team has had since 2019 when Daryl Impey won a stage en route to winning the Ochre Jersey - the last time a rider from the team won the overall honours.
While Plapp could not end this lean run, Harper said they could be happy with the effort they gave.
“We just wanted to make it as hard as possible, we didn’t want to leave it until the last effort up Willunga so it was about trying to make the whole day hard so everyone had a bit of fatigue in their legs,” he said.
“I think we did a good job
“No not really (they are disappointed), he had a crack and that is what we were here to do so not disappointed.
“Not really (any regrets), the aim for the day was to not get to the end of the stage wondering if we could have done something better.
“We gave it a really good crack and tried to make the day as difficult as possible and put the pressure on.
“Luke had a crack at the climb but there were a bunch of bike riders that are also super strong so yeah we gave it our best and didn’t quite get the result we hoped for but I think we can still be happy.”
Plapp now sits sixth in the overall standings going into Sunday’s final stage a 90km circuit in Adelaide.
Unless he crashes Narvaez will claim the overall win, UAE Team Emirates’ second in three years after Jay Vine’s win in 2023.
Romo is in second with Fisher-Black third, 12 seconds off the lead.
FRENCHMAN’S AUSSIE LOVE AFFAIR CONTINUES
Frenchman Bryan Coquard has sprinted to victory in the fourth stage of the Tour Down Under, pipping German Phil Bauhaus by a matter of inches.
The Cofidis rider won a stage at the TDU in 2023 and he claimed his second win in Australia after outgunning Bahrain Victorious’ Bauhaus.
UAE Team Emirates rider Jhonatan Narvaez appeared to claim that he was blocked off by Coquard from sprinting for the win, but he had to settle for third place.
However he will get some time on Ochre Jersey leader Javier Romo of Movistar, ahead of Willunga Hill on Saturday – which will decide the race.
Coquard said he loved racing in Australia.
“Very happy to win today because yesterday was not too good for the team,” he said.
“In the general classification we lost out but today I knew it was my chance to win today.
“I love this country maybe at the start of the season I am good so I start good but I love this country, it is perfect for me to start.”
In the absence of crosswinds from Glenelg to Victor Harbor a large group fought out for the win.
Swiss champion Mauro Schmid made a daring move on the top of Nettle Hill, just over 20km from the finish.
With the peloton in hot pursuit, sprinters such as Australian star Sam Welsford were dropped, as Schmid was caught by the chasing group with just over 13km to go.
It was then a game of cat and mouse in the fast run-in to Victor Harbor with multiple riders making moves, then getting caught, and then making a move again.
INEOS Grenadiers had control of the bunch going into the finish but they couldn’t make it count when it mattered with Coquard, Bauhaus and Narvaez racing past them.
While he was angry about not winning the stage, Narvaez is now just four seconds off Romo in the lead ahead of the iconic Willunga Hill climb – which will determine who wins the general classification of the race.
WILLUNGA TO DECIDE RACE AGAIN BUT NOT AS WE KNOW IT
Once again the Tour Down Under will be decided on Willunga Hill.
But don’t expect a Richie Porte-style, peloton-shredding solo attack that blows up the race.
Movistar’s Spaniard Javier Romo leads UAE Team Emirates’ Jhonatan Narvaez by just four seconds ahead of Saturday’s fifth stage from McLaren Vale to Willunga Hill.
With Sunday’s sixth and final stage a city circuit to end the race, the Ochre Jersey will be decided on the top of Willunga Hill with Narvaez and the other general classification favourites just behind Romo.
Red Bull-BORA-Hansgrohe’s Finn Fisher-Black sits 10 seconds behind the Spaniard, Narvaez’s teammate Jay Vine - who crashed on Friday’s stage from Glenelg to Victor Harbor and was heavily bandaged - is 15 seconds behind along with Scot Oscar Onley - who won the stage up Willunga Hill last year.
Also 15 seconds behind is Jayco-AlUla’s best hope Luke Plapp, who would love to emulate idol Porte and decimate the field up Willunga Hill on the way to victory.
But his sporting director Mathew Hayman said the days of Porte shredding the peloton and going solo to a big win were likely over.
“It is a big day, it has not been the first time (it will be decided on Willunga Hill),” he said.
“There’s a lot to play for, a lot of guys are in contention and that is in many ways traditional for the Tour Down Under so looking forward to it.
“It is becoming harder and harder, Richie was able to rip the group apart.
“Not only finish solo but people were coming in in ones and twos and I don’t think we will see that as much any more.
“I think the climbing level is higher across the top 20 or 30 guys.”
Plapp is sporting strapping on his wrist after a crash before the TDU but Hayman said he would be right to go for the win up Willunga Hill.
He was pinpointed by one to watch by Fisher-Black, who said he was optimistic about his chances.
“I love the climb up Willunga so I am really looking forward to it,” he said.
“I think it is an honest race, I think we will get to the bottom together and whoever has the legs will be able to win it.
“I have felt good the last couple of days, it would be great to win. It would be a really big step but I will give it a go.
“I think Plapp and Narvaez are definitely some of the favourites, also Oscar Onley. But there are like 10 or so guys who can all do the numbers to be there in the last 200m at Willunga.
“So I think there will be a few attacks but hopefully it comes down to a sprint.”
Originally published as Ecuadorian Jhonatan Narváez slick tactical move to win sprint, claim Tour Down Under honours
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