RICHIE Porte canvassed plenty of advice before completing his lucrative, high-profile transfer between two of pro cycling’s biggest teams.
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Australia’s only Tour de France winner, Cadel Evans, world champion Thor Hushovd and fellow Tasmanian Campbell Flakemore all provided strong endorsements about riding for BMC.
Even Teejay van Garderen, the emerging American talent that Porte is expected to compete with for general classification opportunities, talked up the US-based team.
With BMC manager Jim Ochowicz cagey about which rider can expect the protected Tour de France leadership role, Porte believes there is plenty of evidence to support a two-pronged attack as demonstrated by Movistar’s Nairo Quintana and Alejandro Valverde finishing second and third behind Sky’s Chris Froome this year.
‘‘I have had a bit of a chat with Teejay and we are both happy,’’ Porte said.
‘‘You can have two guys going to a Tour together. We know that Sky are always going to ride the way they do, which is to take control of the race so Teejay and I can share leadership.
‘‘He is not massively ego-driven. I’ve seen him help guys out and I’ve done the same thing – I don’t see why we cannot work together.
‘‘I’ve been part of a Tour where we finished first and second with Brad [Wiggins] and Chris [in 2012], so it’s short-sighted on some journos’ part to write stories like they do that there’s going to be a power struggle. No way will there be and they are wrong to write that, but that’s cycling – I guess they’ve got to create controversy.’’
The 30-year-old remains a Team Sky employee until the end of the year, and hopes to see out his contract with further wins in Canada, Abu Dhabi and Japan.
He is yet to discuss his 2016 schedule with BMC but believes he can bring more success to a team managed by Australian trail-blazer Allan Peiper and financed by Swiss billionaire Andy Rihs.
‘‘I’m not saying I’m going to win the Tour de France next year but I think I can target the podium in a Grand Tour if I have the right support.
‘‘I don’t know if I would want to do two Grand Tours. Doing both the Giro [d’Italia] and Tour really takes its toll. I’m sleeping 10 to 12 hours a day still, which is not normal for me, but I’ve not really had a break since October, so my traction control is off.’’
While the cycling media’s reaction to the transfer has focused on Porte’s 2016 Grand Tour roles, the man himself is just as excited by the Olympics.
Aggrieved at helping Australia qualify an extra time trial spot at London in 2012 and then not getting selected, Porte said he would love to contest both time trial and road race in Rio de Janeiro.
‘‘To not go last time left me feeling hard done by.
‘‘It’s a massive goal for me to start the season a bit later and arrive at the Olympics in good shape.
‘‘I have not seen the course yet. I was looking at doing the test event, which is in a couple of weeks, but the way I’m feeling I’m happy with the decision we made not to.’’
Like the Tour de France, the Olympics would see Porte competing with his former team leader and close mate Froome, who began this season training with him in Tasmania and contesting his home-town Launceston Classic.
‘‘It will be exciting to be against him. I know what he’s like, and when he’s at his best he’s almost unbeatable.
‘‘At this year’s Tour I’ve never seen a more motivated Chris Froome. Every day he was at the front pushing hard, and to be honest he made the other GC guys look very ordinary, with the exception of Quintana.
‘‘Next year it will be very hard going as defending champ as [Vincenzo] Nibali found out this year, but if [Chris] has the same hunger he’s certainly a class act.’’
After so many hours training and racing together, Porte is looking forward to going head-to-head.
‘‘I was knocking him off when I was in top form, and that makes you wonder what you can do.
‘‘When I’m 58 kilograms there are not many guys that can outclimb me. There was one period this year when I was winning every queen stage I took part in, but by the time I got to the Tour I was nowhere near my best and then got sick again.
‘‘Hopefully next year I will be in top form in July.’’