Javier Romo was the race leader and the strongest rider on the Willunga Hill finish, but it wasn’t enough, as drafting on shallow climbs played a crucial role. Jhonathan Narváez, with a late sprint, secured the stage victory and claimed the Tour Down Under GC title.
Stage 5 marked the Queen Stage of the Tour Down Under, concluding with the iconic ascent of Willunga Hill (3.6 km at 7%). Javier Romo led the general classification by a slim margin following his heroic victory on Stage 3 after Knotts Hill. With several favourites, including Jhonathan Narváez, Oscar Onley, Finn Fisher-Black, and Luke Plapp, threatening his position, an exciting finish was guaranteed.
Chris Harper attacked early and raised the tempo for his teammate Luke Plapp during the first ascent of Willunga Hill. Harper attacked and subsequently his teammate Mauro Schmid bridged across, but both were reeled in during the valley, as INEOS Grenadiers set a fierce pace in the main group. Crosswinds added to the chaos, splitting the GC contenders into several groups.
As the second and final climb began, Romo launched an attack at the base of Willunga Hill despite a medium headwind. His move immediately shattered the group, which had remained relatively large until that point. However, given the shallow gradient and headwind, Romo needed to be significantly stronger than his rivals to maintain his lead. This proved challenging, as riders in the chasing group benefitted from the draft, saving an estimated 0.3 to 0.6 ᵉW/kg on certain sections of the climb.
Plapp worked tirelessly in the chase group, with Onley and Narváez taking full advantage of the draft. The group eventually caught Romo. In the final sprint, Narváez edged out Onley, while Fisher-Black paced his effort well to secure third place.
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Romo’s performance was huge, as he averaged 7.72 ᵉW/kg for 7 minutes and 58 seconds. However, the achievement was not as remarkable as it initially seemed, given that the climb was near sea level and the relatively shallow gradient favoured Romo, who weighs closer to 70 kg. Similarly, Plapp, who did extensive work in the wind, averaged 7.63 ᵉW/kg. Other top-10 finishers averaged 0.3 to 0.5 ᵉW/kg less than Romo, highlighting the importance of drafting on shallow gradients with headwinds at speeds of 27.11 km/h.
Romo’s recent contract extension with Movistar through 2028 appears to be a masterstroke, with the team securing the Spaniard before his first UCI victory. Adjusted for altitude, Romo’s performance still impressed at 630 aSLP (adjusted sea level power), although it was not groundbreaking by 2025 standards. With top GC riders like Tadej Pogačar adding 5–10% to their climbing power on hard stages compared to 2023, performances at the highest level continue to trend upward, much like Elon Musk’s net worth.
In 2024, Romo had already demonstrated his capabilities with standout performances on demanding mountain stages. Notably, he sacrificed himself for Alex Aranburu during the gravel stage of the 2024 Tour de France, helping his teammate secure fourth place. Additionally, Romo impressed on steep mountain gradients at the Critérium du Dauphiné, finishing 11th, 12th, and 13th on consecutive stages, as well as excelling on brutal rampas inhumanas climbs in the Vuelta a Valenciana and Vuelta a Burgos.