Porte Ready for World’s Challenge

Team Saxo Bank’s Richie Porte is putting the finishing touches to his preparation for the forthcoming World Championships in Melbourne. After a week of solid racing in the Tour of Britain, Porte heads back to his native Australia where he’ll compete in the time trial event in front of a home crowd.

Porte finished fourth overall in the seven day Tour of Britain and was active throughout the event, also finishing second in the king of the mountains competition. Speaking to Bike Pure last week, Porte said “I’ve really enjoyed the Tour of Britain, it’s a great race and the roads and climbs are very similar to those back in Tasmania, which suit me.”

Many thought that Porte would form part of Saxo-Bank’s team at the Vuelta, especially after finishing 7th overall in the Tour of Italy earlier in the season, “I would have liked to have done the Vuelta but it was felt that two Grand Tours in one season was a little much for me.” Porte went on, “It looks like it’s been a very tough Vuelta and many of the guys could well come out of that race very tired prior to the World’s.”

Our attention turns to the forthcoming World championship time trial where Porte is relishing a ride in front of the home crowd, “I’m really looking forward to it, I’ve already ridden parts of the course and we’ll be having a closer look at it when I arrive in the build up to the Championships.”

Porte’s 2010 season doesn’t end in Australia though, he added, “After the World’s I’ll return to Europe to focus on some Italian races after the World’s and my last race of the season will be the Tour of Lombardy. I plan to stay in Europe until December before I return to Australia to prepare for the 2011 season.”

Porte is part of the new generation of riders who align with Bike Pure and he feels the sport is changing, “The sport is definately cleaner and I hope that the success in my first Giro this year shows that guys like me can come in and have a crack at the overall.”

It has been a hugely successful season for the young Tasmanian and we’ll clearly be seeing more from Richie in 2011, when he hopes to be lining up for next years Tour de France. We wish him success in the World Championships and for the remainder of the season.