Saxo Bank-SunGard rider now looking to Paris, then to Denmark
Image 1 of 2
Richie Porte was the relevation of the 2010 edition, managing to wear pink for a few stages.(Image credit: Sirotti)
Richie Porte (Saxo Bank-SunGard) will be a key man in Alberto Contador's Giro bid.(Image credit: Barry Ryan)
Richie Porte (Saxo Bank-Sungard) put in another solid Grand Tour time trial on Saturday at the Tour de France. The Australian finished fifth, and adds that result to his fourth on the final day of the Giro d'Italia. Despite suffering from fatigue midway through the race, the former Maglia Bianca winner appears to have come out of the Tour with some impressive form.
"I have been looking forward to this time trial for a long time," Porte explained after the race. "I started early and didn't have the best conditions on wet roads but I did the best possibly could after three weeks of racing. Now, I'm looking forward to going to Paris. I guess it's every bike rider's dream to be completing the biggest cycling event in the world and to being a part of the huge finale in the streets of Paris."
Porte's team leader Alberto Contador was unable to defend his Tour de France title but the Australian felt that the team had ridden as well as they could have over the three weeks.
"I think all in all we did a great race. Alberto [Contador] never lost his motivation, never complained and kept fighting to the very last and he won a lot of respect on the stage yesterday to Alpe d'Huez by launching that huge attack," continued Porte.
The Australian is now fully focused on his next two races, particularly the Tour of Denmark, Saxo Bank-Sungard's home race, where Porte will finally get his chance to ride for his own back.
"After the Tour de France, I'm doing San Sebastian and then I'm off to the Tour of Denmark," said Porte. "I'm really looking forward to be riding for the overall classification there and I hope to see a huge crowd in the streets of Vejle on the queen stage."
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Alex Hinds is a graduate of Economics and Political Science from Sydney University. Growing up in the metropolitan area of the city he quickly became a bike junkie, dabbling in mountain and road riding. Alex raced on the road in his late teens, but with the time demands of work and university proving too much, decided not to further pursue full-time riding.
If he was going to be involved in cycling in another way the media seemed the next best bet and jumped at the opportunity to work in the Sydney office of Cyclingnews when an offer arose in early 2011.
Though the WorldTour is of course a huge point of focus throughout the year, Alex also takes a keen interest in the domestic racing scene with a view to helping foster the careers of the next generation of cycling.
When not writing for Cyclingnews Alex is a strong proponent of the awareness of cyclists on the road in Sydney having had a few close run-ins with city traffic in the past.
