Australian cycling star Richie Porte hopes a year-long injury problem is behind him as he finally aims for his own Tour de France glory.
The 30-year-old Tasmanian is going through multiple life changes ahead of next July’s Tour.
Porte and Gemma Bartlett were married last weekend, four years after they met at Team Sky.
He has left Sky, where Porte played crucial support roles for Tour champions Chris Froome and Sir Brad Wiggins, in a high-profile transfer to BMC.
The team where Cadel Evans became the first Australian to win the Tour will now feature Porte and American Tejay van Garderen as joint leaders.
It would be the first time Porte rode at the Tour with personal ambitions, rather than as a domestique.
As Porte enters this crucial new phase in his career, he has also undergone treatment to cure the injury that has dogged him since January.
Porte came down with a bout of piriformis syndrome during a strong performance at Adelaide’s Tour Down Under, where he finished second overall.
He managed a string of big wins through the first half of the season, but a succession of mishaps ruined his dream of a big result at the May Giro d’Italia (Tour of Italy).
Porte then helped Froome win the Tour de France for the second time.
But the Australian has not finished a race since and, last month, Porte had treatment for the syndrome, where the piriformis muscle in the buttock becomes inflamed.
“I’m 30 and I felt like a 40-year-old over the last nine months,” Porte told AAP.
“It’s one of those things that’s been in the back of my mind all year.
“It’s so bloody painful – it was a bit worrying.
“With the right care, it should be fine and I’m looking forward to having a season with no injuries.”
Sky helped organise the treatment for the injury and Porte said he was leaving the team on good terms.
Now Porte wants to show what he can achieve for himself at the Tour after strong support roles in the past few years for Spaniard Alberto Contador, Wiggins and Froome.
“It’s uncharted territory for me as a professional bike rider – I’ve always been second fiddle,” he said.
“But I’ve ridden with some great guys and I’m ready to take my opportunity.”
And Porte has no doubt he and van Garderen can co-exist as BMC’s leaders at the Tour, noting they would be far from the first team with two protected riders.
“In this game, you always have a few blow-ups here and there with riders on the road and he’s one who I’ve never had an issue with,” Porte said.
“I don’t see it being an issue that we both have our biggest goal in the Tour de France.”
James
Guest
As much as I would like to see Porte do well there is no way he will be given leadership at the Tour. Besides the fact that as a US team and therefore will be inclined to support T Jay Porte has not shown any real ability to survive a Grand Tour. If he at the TDF it will be only as Plan B or a support rider.
damo
Guest
Probably a good idea if he was the sole team leader/focus, but with what seems to be a duel with Van Garderen for outright leadership, he just doesn't have the time to bed himself in. I wonder if BMC have a master plan, or are they just hoping the last man standing will prove to be invincible, or do they really think that having a dual focus will prove to be the way to succeed ? I see the potential for the whole thing to come unraveled, as guys who have built a relationship with TvG having to decide where their future lies, or having to abandon him in the pursuit of self interest in supporting whoever comes to the fore. Not to mention the up & comers, who now have to tread even more carefully with their own delicate careers in the balance if they back the wrong proverbial horse. Obviously BMC know something we don't, but I have wondered if they see Porte as their future, but are hedging their bets just for a season by maintaining TvG ? I just can't see how they rate TvG if they have signed a guy who is openly campaigning to become a real threat at podium level (winner eventually) & will expect all the backing that is inherent in that long term campaign.
Sam Brown
Roar Guru
He is an outside shot for sure and I'll be cheering for him but I wonder if it would have been better for him to go back to the Giro or Vuelta as leader to get him used to his BMC team and develop habits with them before being potentially exposed on the biggest stage.