Richie Porte secured second place overall at the Tour Down Under following the sixth and final stage in Adelaide.

Team Sky’s best result to date in Australia came after a week of hard work to set up Porte and control the race at various points.

A criterium finale meant Porte was unable to claw back the slender two-second deficit to race leader Rohan Dennis (BMC Racing) but made it home safely to bag a haul of WorldTour points.

Wouter Wippert (Drapac) took the stage and the biggest win of his career ahead of Heinrich Haussler (IAM Cycling) and Boris Vallee (Lotto Soudal) in the final sprint on King William Road.

Pete Kennaugh made his way into a breakaway as the riders clicked off 20 laps of the 4.5-kilometre circuit but the Manxman and his group were hauled back inside two laps to go.

Team Sky ensured that Porte was towards the front and out of danger, missing a crash on the penultimate lap, and crossing the line without issue. In his final WorldTour race Cadel Evans (BMC Racing) rounded out the podium, 20 seconds back on team-mate Dennis.

“It was quite a stressful day but the boys were awesome again and kept me out of harm’s way," Porte told TeamSky.com after the finale.

“We were so far up that we didn’t even know about the crash which is good. On a stage like that you’ve got a lot to lose. I can’t thank the boys enough for what they did today.

“Second at the Tour Down Under is a good way to start the season. 

“I am happy. I enjoyed it. It was a great week of racing. It’s just incredible to see the growth of racing in Australia. 

“It’s a massive confidence boost. I won the same stage (stage 5) last year, but this year, I feel I have a lot of motivation back, and I am looking forward to having a big season.

"I'm in a much better mindset this year - I have been much more professional in my off season and I am healthy and so motivated going into this season.

"People are always going to say you peaked too early or whatever, but I haven't done anything other than ride my bike and watch my diet. I am happy now, recently engaged and I feel like I am growing up.

"Cadel leaves a bit of a void but I would love to step it up and try and emulate him."

"Hindsight is an absolutely wonderful thing in cycling," he said of the timing of his blistering attack that won the stage. "I have to be content ... it is probably the stage to win and the crowd is absolutely amazing.

"It shows the legacy that Cadel has left. I have said it 10 times today, I will say it again - it's like riding a stage of the Tour (de France)."