"It will be so much fun trying to catch the amateurs on Willunga Hill" - Richie Porte looks forward to public Willunga Hill ITT
Cycling
Richie Porte will participate in a time trial up Willunga Hill on Saturday January 20, with amateur riders setting off from the start ramp every minute until finally Porte, known as the King of Willunga, is let loose to try and chase down the riders ahead. Later that day, also professionals will take on this iconic Australian climb in its reappearance in Tour Down Under.
"I love being in Adelaide and especially during the Santos Tour Down Under," said Porte in a media statement put out by the event. "I am already looking forward to being back on my bike, but without the full pressure of having the peloton behind me."
"It will be so much fun trying to catch the entrants in the time trial up Willunga Hill," Porte adds.
"Richie is famous for this climb for good reason – he won the stage race up Willunga Hill seven times throughout his career," said race organiser Stuart O'Grady. "For any cycling enthusiast, the opportunity to ride alongside him on this hill is an honour."
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Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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