Richie Porte: ‘I pinch myself most days. It wasn’t long ago that I was working 9-5’

At first glance, 2016 was an impressive year for road cyclist Richie Porte. After joining BMC Racing from Team Sky, the Australian finished second overall at the Tour Down Under, third at Paris-Nice, fourth at the Volta a Catalunya and fifth at the Tour De France – his best ever placing in the illustrious race.

Yet these respectable achievements do not linger in Porte’s memory. Instead, 2016 is remembered as a season of misfortune. He lost almost two minutes following a puncture during the Tour de France, costing him a place on the podium and a chance to tussle for the yellow jersey with former team-mate Chris Froome.

“That was disappointing – it still hurts,” admits Porte, not known for mincing his words. “Both the puncture and running into the back of a motorbike were hard to take, even if neither was within my control. You want to be on the podium in Paris – that is every rider’s dream – so to miss out through bad luck is painful even now. Finishing fifth was a nice result, but I wanted more.”

Less than a month later, the slight 31-year-old was well-positioned during the Olympic road race in Rio de Janeiro when he crashed out, prematurely ending his season with a broken shoulder blade. While he speaks glowingly of the opportunity to wear green and gold for the Australian Olympic team – “a massive occasion, it’s what you grow up watching on television” – this mishap was another bitter pill to swallow for the Tasmanian.

“That whole day was a disaster,” he says. “On two out of the four times through the cobblestones I had mechanical issues, and to crash as I did on that descent was frustrating. I was in a good position with some of the favourites, and then I came around a corner to see a Russian rider on the floor. I had nowhere to go but into the ditch.”

With his wounds healed and these disappointments behind him – albeit not entirely forgotten – Porte is now focused on achieving success in 2017. The Tasmanian trained at home for much of November and December, before attending a team camp in Spain. After sitting out last week’s Australian road national championships in Ballarat, he will enter the Tour Down Under (which begins on Sunday) well-rested and as a firm favourite for overall honours.

“I would love to go one better,” says Porte, referring to his second-place results in both the 2015 and 2016 editions. “For me the Tour Down Under is the most enjoyable race on the calendar. This year BMC are sending a great team to back me [including fellow Australians Rohan Dennis and newly crowned national road race champion Miles Scotson]. The climb up Paracombe is such a hard finish, and then again up Willunga Hill – on paper the course is more suited to me than in previous years.”

View image in fullscreen

Victory in Adelaide would be a real statement of intent from Porte, who has been named as BMC’s undisputed leader for the Tour de France in July. With general manager Jim Ochowicz signalling the team’s desire to claim the yellow jersey this year and performance manager Allan Peiper publicly stating that Porte “can win the Tour”, there has never been more pressure on the Australian.

“To have someone like Allan say that and believe in me, and have the backing of the team, is great,” Porte muses. “It is why I left Sky, where I was otherwise so happy and comfortable. I knew when I signed with BMC that there would be added pressure on me, but I was ready for that.”

Porte’s departure from the all-dominant Team Sky, where he had twice won Paris-Nice and helped team-mates Froome and Bradley Wiggins to Tour de France glory, was not a decision made lightly. But switching to BMC has seen Porte step out from Froome’s shadow and become a legitimate challenger to his former team-mate.

“I was not getting any younger – I am at the top of my game so it had to come when it did,” he continues. “I was close to going to BMC a couple of times before, so when contract negotiations began and they were interested it was a no-brainer – plus there is an Australian flavour here after Cadel Evans won the Tour with BMC in 2011. With hindsight, it was definitely the correct move.”

While Porte is no longer riding for Froome, the two remain close off the bike. Porte admits that he sought the British star’s advice last year as he prepared to take on a greater leadership role at his new team.

“Of course we talked about those kind of things,” says Porte. “I also have people within the BMC organisation, and just before the last Tour de France started I had a good chat with Cadel – so it’s not just Froomey who I can lean on for moral support.”

In November, Froome identified his former domestique as the biggest obstacle to a third consecutive yellow jersey. While Porte appreciates this vote of confidence, the modest Tasmanian does not display any hubris.

“Chris is the Grand Tour rider of this generation,” Porte reflects. “He has won the Tour de France three times. We are good friends and it is nice that he sees me in that way, but I have no illusions. The 2017 Tour is going to be a hard one.”

When the going does get tough – whether during a steep climb in the Pyrenees or as a result of the setbacks faced over the past year – Porte draws strength from his unconventional journey to the pinnacle of competitive cycling. The rider worked as a lifeguard, car parts courier and Australian rules football boundary umpire before finally going professional in 2010 aged 25.

“I pinch myself most days,” he says. “Everyone has a unique path but mine was particularly strange. It wasn’t long ago that I was working 9am-5pm at a swimming pool. Now I ride my bike for a living.”