The expected GC battle raged on Willunga Hill in the queen stage at the Tour Down Under. However, Trek Factory Racing had to take a back seat as their leader got dropped in the crosswinds.

The battle for the overall victory was on the line in the Santos Tour Down Under 151.5-kilometer stage five with the highly anticipated Willunga Hill.

Trek Factory Racing had a modest game plan for the queen stage, take care of Dan McConnell, the highest placed on GC, and climber Laurent Didier, then save energy for tomorrow, a stage where they can play again.

The stage began with a three-man breakaway playing a long prelude before the real action began the first time up the punishing climb 26 kilometers from home.  With a tailwind adding an extra sting to an already excruciating pace, Willunga Hill quickly whittled the bunch to around 40 riders over the top.

Dan McConnell cleared Willunga Hill the first time, but became a victim of the crosswind section that followed when Team Astana came to the front and blew the front group into two echelons. There was no mercy for the pro mountain biker unaccustomed to the brutal tactics of WorldTour racing, and McConnell lost contact.

"I was able to stay with the lead group the first time over Willunga, but when we hit the crosswinds I was at the back, in the worst place possible. I have felt more comfortable in the peloton as the week's gone on, but positioning is still the biggest challenge for me coming from mountain biking," said McConnell.

"But I am happy with how I felt up the climb, and maybe some day I will figure this all out."

If the first time up Willunga pruned the big branches, the second time shook out the dead leaves. By the final kilometer only two remained, and at the finish, one.

Richie Porte (Sky) crossed the line to take a fantastic solo win, but fell two seconds shy of claiming the leader’s jersey from Rohan Dennis (BMC), who came in nine seconds later.

Laurent Didier crossed the line with McConnell for 34th and 35th places respectively (+2’24”).

As expected, there was little for Trek Factory Racing today, and similar to others not involved in the top of the overall classification, they grabbed a back seat to the heated GC battle. However, tomorrow they’re back in the game for a fast and furious circuit race in the heart of Adelaide.

"Yeah, there is not much to say," explained director Kim Andersen after the race. "When the overall is that close there is not really anything anyone can do. Dan was good, he was there the first time, but like I said he does not have the experience and came off in the crosswind.

"But okay, tomorrow is another day, much better for us, and tomorrow we will be ready."