The Trek-Segafredo leader closed out a somewhat of an indifferent 2019 campaign with two months set up in more familiar surrounds that included training with many of his Tasmanian mates.

The change of methods appears to have instilled a belief back into taking out the big moments on the bike.

Porte has crashed out of the Tour de France twice and was out of contention last year in an 11th finish, but the Hadspen cyclist that turns 35 in three days is in peak shape to have one last serious crack at the iconic and elusive race.

The decorated career may also be capped off straight afterwards in sight of a Tokyo Olympic gold after the pain of another crash at Rio 2016.

"It's a fantastic way to start the year," Porte said after the overall tour victory.

"Everyone has got their own opinions on peaking, and this and that.

"But being from Australia, to win the Tour Down Under, is a great satisfaction and I won't let anybody take that away.

ELSEWHERE IN SPORT

"I've worked hard for this and now I know I can still win bike races, so it's good for the season coming.

"[Tour Down Under] is a fantastic race to win and I'll go back to Europe and hopefully keep the ball rolling.

"So the most motivating thing is to win races and I'll hopefully take that with me."

Porte was able to overhaul two-time defending champion Daryl Impey to secure his first Tour Down Under win since 2017, amid being placed runner-up four times.

Impey (Mitchelton-Scott) had a two-second lead for the sixth and final stage, but was unable to take the hill.

But that wasn't the real shock that caused whispers across the finish line from stunned supporters of Porte.

For the first time in seven years, the king of Old Willunga Hill was beaten to the top.

That could be put down to knowing his place in the overall standings, just trailing the ochre jersey leader by a mere two seconds.

But in the end Porte's second place was more than enough against the South African sprinter.

He crossed the line behind British upstart Matt Holmes on his pet stage, ending the reign on the brutal climb that stretches way back to 2014.

The 26-year-old Holmes, who is a Lotto-Soudal teammate of Australian sprint star Caleb Ewan, ended Porte's sheer domination of Willunga with a thrilling burst in the final sprint to also secure his first World Tour stage triumph in the process.

There had been a big cheer for Porte moving out ahead of the peloton and with just over a kilometre left ahead of his trademark surge on an incline that is a part of Australian cycling folklore.

The expected attack from the Tasmanian was coming, but Holmes's new team had issued instructions not to sprint, bide his time and he seized the opportunity late to take out the final stage.

"That last 800 metres today bloody hurt. It was probably the most painful 800 metres of my life," Porte said.

"You've got someone like Simon Yates sitting on your wheel [and] it's not a given you're going to drop him.

"So, I think that the crowds there today were just awesome, and it is electrifying to get to the top.

"Obviously, you don't get to take it in too much because you're in a different world of hurt."

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