Tasmanian riders Macey Stewart, Richie Porte, Nathan Earle and Will Clarke in action across Europe

The 22-year-old Devonport rider finished 70^th in the seventh and final stage on Sunday, an 18.7km time trial in Schmölln.

The former time trial junior world champion was 4:41 off the pace to finish 63^rd overall, 53:33 behind her teammate, and 20^th in the young rider classification.

Brennauer was swift to praise Stewart and her fellow Wiggle High5 teammates.

“It was really cool teamwork the whole week,” said the German. “Everybody was so happy, they came to see me at the ceremony. They were standing there before the stage to see the victory ceremony, and it meant a lot to me.”

Stewart added on Twitter: “So lucky to work with such amazing women and teammates. Feeling seriously inspired and excited for the future. Anything can be made fun with the right attitude, even that time trial.”

Richie Porte will be facing some stiff competition when he finalises his Tour de France preparations at the Tour de Suisse this week.

The Launceston rider will lead Swiss-sponsored Team BMC into the nine-stage race from Saturday rather than his traditional Tour lead-in race, the Criterium du Dauphine in France.

In addition to defending champion Simon Spilak (Katusha-Alpecin), Porte, 33, will be up against fellow climbing specialists Nairo Quintana and Mikel Landa (Movistar), and Bauke Mollema (Trek-Segafredo) through the Alpine terrain.

Several of the WorldTour’s top sprinters have also been attracted to the race including world champion Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe), Sunweb's Michael Matthews, John Degenkolb (Trek-Segafredo), Andre Greipel (Lotto-Soudal) and Alexander Kristoff (UAE Team Emirates).

The tour begins with an 18.3-kilometre team time trial in Frauenfeld, finishes with a 34km time trial in Bellinzona and features summit finishes on stage 5 up to Leukerbad and stage 7 to Arosa. 

Porte is likely to be supported by classics specialist and reigning Olympic champion Greg Van Avermaet while BMC teammate Damiano Caruso finished runner-up last year.

Also in Switzerland, Hobart’s Nathan Earle was among 73 riders listed as “did not finish” in the 185.6km one-day race Gran Premio Citta di Lugano.

Earle finished 13th overall for his Israel Cycling Academy team at the Hammer Stavanger in Norway and has since celebrated his 30^th birthday in the Spanish city of Girona with his wife Kat and daughter Bonnie.

Campbell Town’s Will Clarke is also based in Girona and after completing Hammer Stavanger alongside Earle travelled to the Netherlands to race the Hammer Sportzone Limburg.

Riding for Education First-Drapac p/b Cannondale, the 33-year-old came 14^th, eighth and 11^th in the three stages for an overall finish of 10th.