The Tour Down Under clearly has a special meaning for Luke Plapp. Not only is it his home nation WorldTour race and a home race for his Jayco-AlUla team, but it’s also home to the terrain that rocketed him to the WorldTour.
In 2021 the Australian rode the Santos Festival of Cycling – the replacement race for the Tour Down Under during the two-year COVID-19 pandemic hiatus – and his win on Willunga Hill alongside national squad teammate and mentor Richie Porte made a huge mark.
The finish atop Willunga Hill is always a crucial way to gain precious seconds. Both the time gaps and the ten second time bonus at the top, can be pivotal in the overall battle. We can expect a battle for every second this year, given Willunga comes on stage 5, the last stage where the overall contenders get terrain that suits before Sunday’s final circuit stage around Adelaide.
“I think it’s one of the hardest courses the Tour Down Under’s probably ever seen, which I think is right up my alley,” Plapp said, as he contemplated the race ahead while surrounded by pictures of past winners in the lobby of race headquarters, the Hilton Hotel.
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