The stage was coloured by multiple breakaways. Team Jumbo-Visma rode attentively from the start and made sure that no large group could escape. On the final climb, a group of eleven riders broke clear, including the strong-riding Bennett. In the descent, the first part of the peloton closed the gap, after which the stage ended in a sprint of a reduced peloton.

“Today was a quiet day with a tough final”, sports director Addy Engels explained. “The team worked well and brought George in a good position to the final climb. George was strong and didn’t get surprised. At the top, Chris was just behind the leaders, but he was able to return in the descent. All in all it was a good day for us again.”

The Tour Down Under ends tomorrow with the final stage to Willunga Hill. “Willunga Hill has been the decider of the Tour Down Under for years”, Engels continued. “George has shown all week that he belongs to the best climbers in the race. Chris has also shown great form. It will be a fair battle: man to man and then we will see if we can achieve an even better result than fifth place overall.”