Of Australia’s two stage race winners this season – Simon Gerrans and Richie Porte – the latter arguably has the most going for him in 2012.
Gerrans, amid much fanfare as Australian national team GreenEDGE made its competitive debut, won last month’s Tour Down Under in Adelaide while Porte, making his own debut for British team Sky Procycling, won the five-day Volta ao Algarve on Sunday.
It was the Tasmanian’s first win in new colours since joining Sky from Saxo Bank in the close season. In taking the overall crown in Portugal, Porte also did something his countryman Gerrans failed to do in Adelaide: win a stage.
Twenty-seven-year-old Porte is just the kind of guy GreenEDGE are lacking: an all-round talent who can time trial as strong as he can climb. He’s a general classification rider who has proved instantly with his new team that he’s capable of winning big races on the continent.
God only knows what GreenEDGE are going to do when the races get rather challenging…
Porte’s breakthrough performance in the 2010 Giro d’Italia – in which he wore the race’s fabled pink jersey on the way to taking seventh place overall – is already a better result than any current rider at GreenEDGE could realistically target in a Grand Tour.
There was talk – unsurprisingly – of Porte joining his compatriots after last year’s disappointing second season at Saxo Bank. The Tasmanian spent most of that season supporting the team’s top star Alberto Contador, who subsequently had all his results annulled over a failed dope test).
Joining GreenEDGE would have been as understandable as Gerrans’s decision to make his own switch from Sky, or indeed Mark Cavendish’s inevitable decision to join the same British team.
But Porte – perhaps quite rightly – opted to join an outfit in which he could continue his progression as a rider rather than be thrust into the deep end, carrying the hopes of his home nation (but without any discernibly strong domestic rides in support).
It’s easy to forget that Porte has only been a professional since 2010; prior to that he was a triathlete who made the step across to a second-tier Tasmanian pro-continental cycling team.
That seventh place in his debut Grand Tour might have been a remarkable introduction to the sport, but as Porte himself has stated on numerous occasions it also came down to a hefty slice of luck. At the time, the unknown Porte was the best-placed rider in a large break which crossed the line 13 minutes ahead of the main GreenEDGE contenders in stage 11.
“The Sky package was probably the best place for me at this point in my career,” said Porte when quizzed by reporters about his decision to join the likes of Bradley Wiggins, Chris Froome and Cavendish over GreenEDGE.
Of course, the salary package also offered Porte a better place for him at this point of his career. Finances aside though, Porte’s early win already seems to have vindicated his move.
“It’s a nice way to start my time with a new team,” he understated. “They have been amazing all week and we have worked really well as a unit.”
It was indeed a stellar week for Sky: Edvald Boasson-Hagen won the stage two bunch sprint; Porte took the mountainous stage three; Wiggins the final time trial ahead of specialist Tony Martin of Omega Pharma-Quick Step; while Porte’s third place against the clock was enough to secure the overall win.
It must have been a breath of fresh air for Porte to see the likes of Froome and Wiggins (second and third respectively in last year’s Vuelta a Espana) ride for him in Portugal, something he would never have experienced at Saxo Bank with Contador.
The irony is that – now that the Spaniard is banned until August – had Porte stayed a little longer at Saxo he would have been Bjarne Riis’s top dog.
But perhaps that added pressure would have been too much; after all, Porte forewent the chance to join GreenEDGE precisely for that reason.
Given Cadel Evans won his first Grand Tour at the ripe old age of 34, the 27-year-old Porte has ample time on his side.
Continuing to nurture his talent at a proven, established team that has a reputation of bringing out the best in its riders is surely the best option for Porte.
And for now, things are working out just fine.
BenZ
Guest
Tour De France GC is not the only cycling race in the world. Get over it, GreenEDGE aren't trying to win it. Having a GC contender for them is like Cadel and Mcewen at Lotto. The team couldn't effectively help Cadel as they were a sprinting/ classics set up with not great climbers. They then put their resources into Cadel and left Mcewen to his own devices despite the fact the riders they had weren't the right type to help Cadel properly. Look at Cadel now at BMC. He hasn't suddenly gotten better (which is kinda obvious given his previous results) but a dedicated GC team beats a sprinter gc split. Also re Cavs sprint train I reckon he will have to look after himself a bit more this year at the tour (I suppose given that he had a full team lead out he was always going to have to look after himself a bit more, but it is possible he will suffer in the hunt for a brit in yellow).
Winton
Guest
Sorry guys, can't agree with much of this. Porte is a great talent and Sky have signed him up to make the most of that. I think he will be given chances in shorter stage races and, if he doesn't get a Grand Tour this year, he certainly will next. I honestly see him as a Giro/Vuelta leader for Sky. And speaking to them, so do they. GreenEdge will have a first year akin to many others - they are finding their feet and searching for what works best for them. Porte is a career crossroads - why join an outfit where he will be expected to help that process when he could join an established big player? Plus, he's really enjoying his riding again now - the llok on his face at Algarve was of a man who feels comfortable with his place. And as for Sky as a big team, small results - that just comes across as small minded sniping. Dauphiné, World TT silver medallist, stages at the Tour, second and third at Vuelta, Bayern Rundfahrt, Eneco Tour - these races and results mean stuff to real cycling fansm
Jeff
Guest
Sky have thrown him a bone, no points, they will throw him a few more, but no big races. DanMan is reading my mind on this.
Tobin
Guest
Good points Buck. All these teams need to score UCI points to continue to be invited to the Grand Tours. It is unrealistic to think Wiggins will be riding every tour to win, and it seems the British Public want a Yellow Jersey. Porte is not yet ready to lead a team, so 2 years with Sky being the Giro contender, and a few of the smaller multi-day events (Tour of Flanders, USA Tour, etc) will put him in a great spot for the 2015 Tour de France. I do love the presence of the GreenEDGE but putting all the young Australian talent in the one team would seem a bit short sighted IMO.
DanMan
Guest
Also Green Edge has explicitly stated numerous times they are not looking to challenge for gc. They are there to win stages and classics only (I hope), and the team personel reflect that. Tour down Under is a small stage race with only on climb of note - there are many Australian past winners, and as it is the first race of the season, 99% of riders are looking to ease into the year - whereas it is a chance for an aussie to win on home soil by reaching a very early season performance peak.
buck
Guest
Agree somewhat with Danman, but with Wiggins top dog who has eyes on France, maybe a tilt at the Giro might be open for Richie as the main GC man. still plenty of time for him. Also, given Froome's great ride in spain last year, definately one to keep an eye on.
DanMan
Guest
Not sure I agree with this article - Porte left saxobank when he was the clear 2nd gc contender, behind the best gc rider in the current generation. Sure, he had to play 2nd fiddle but that is 2nd fiddle to the best in the world in the same team, with all the inside knowledge and training. Now Porte is with Sky - A large budget team with relatively small results. Porte steps out of 2nd fiddle into 3 fiddle for gc behind Wiggins and Froome. Sky also has Cavendish and Boasson-Hagen, who will make up places 3 + 4 in the team, where a few more team mates are required for the sprint train (at least 3-4). Throw in another domestique to help Wiggins and Froome and that leaves Porte fighting for the last place on the team for the grand tours. He cannot claim to be the best in any aspect of the team - Wiggins is much better TT, and Froome is not bad either. I believe (until contador was done for doping) he had a better apprentiship at saxobank than he will get at Sky. Then again whether saxobank will be around much longer is to be determined.