DOWN UNDER' S REPEAT WINNERS

André Greipel’s two stage wins this year further cemented his position as the most successful stage winner in the history of the Tour Down Under. He’s now won 18 stages at the Australian race, which is over 15 per cent of all TDU stages ever, going back to the race’s !irst edition in 1999. Greipel was in Australia this year for the !irst time since 2014, and for the !ifth time in his career he closed the race with the win on the !inal stage (to go with the victory he took on stage 1). The 2018 edition also saw two of the other most successful riders in the race's history adding to their totals. Caleb Ewan couldn’t match the four stages he won last year, but his victory on stage 2 still brought his total in the race so far up to seven, which is third on the all-time list (Robbie McEwen sits in second on the stage-winners alltime list with 12 victories) . Richie Porte’s annual stage win meanwhile was his !ifth consecutive on Willunga and his sixth at the race ever. Porte has now equalled the most podium !inishes ever, with four, but his single overall win in 2017 leaves him well behind the most successful TDU riders – Simon Gerrans, with four GC wins, and Stuart O’Grady and André Greipel, with two. While Porte came close this year, Daryl Impey's win means no rider has yet been able to successfully defend their victory in the race in back-to-back years. Impey's win also means that MitcheltonScott now equal Ag2r with both teams having won four titles in the race.