2013 UCI World Tour - The ten best pro-cyclists in the world

 

What follows will be the first, in ten portraits, covering the UCI’s top ten World Tour riders, their 2013 season, and their future prospects. This article will be about Richie Porte, the world’s tenth best professional cyclist.

 

Additional articles in the portrait series: Rui Costa #9, Nairo Quintana #8, Fabian Cancellara #7, Daniel Marin #6, Vincenzo Nibali #5, Peter Sagan #4, Alejandro Valverde #3, Chris Froome #2 & Joaquim Rodríguez #1.

 

Richie Porte, Team Sky – #10 / 327 points – 2013

 

Richard Julian “a.k.a. Richie” Porte started out as a triathlete, and commenced his focus on a cycling career at the ripe age of 21; significantly later than most of his current competitors. He was born in Tasmania (1985), Australia, and it was also here that he would enjoy his earliest victories.

 

Three short facts:

 

He counts his fellow Sky riders amongst his best friends in the peloton.

 

He can put on weight just by looking at food.

 

He interestingly points out Sir Bradley Wiggins as his funniest team-mate, stating that he is “known for his sense of humor”. Now who would have thought?

 

Saxo

 

After a successful 2009 as an amateur, where he won a number of smaller stages in Italy, and placed third in Australia’s  ITT Championships, Porte’s career took a jump when he was enlisted by Bjarne Riis and Saxo Bank. His move to the Danish team was without doubt helped by the presence of fellow Aussies Stuart O’Grady and Brett Lancaster.

 

Riis and Saxo Bank immediately tested their new talent, and Porte did not disappoint. In the third ITT stage of the 2010 Tour de Romandie he bested experts like Dennis Menchov, Michael Rogers and Vladimir Karpets, and made a surprise debut to the top of the podium.

 

About a week later Porte entered his first Grand Tour: Il Giro d’Italia. Here, he incredibly managed three days in the pink overall, placed seventh in the final classification, and won the white jersey of best young rider; an impressive 6’41” ahead of next best rider, Robert Kiserlovski.

 

Asked about his chances of becoming a future Grand Tour winner, Porte remarked: "Maybe it will be possible in the future, after I have more time within this team. Look what I have been turned into in just five months, so in another two years, who knows.”

 

Two subsequent overall fourth-places, in the Eneco Tour, and another at the Tour of Britain, proved that Porte was well on his way.

 

A third fourth-place cemented his status as an intriguing new talent: In the World ITT Championships, Porte was only surpassed by super-specialists Tony Martin, David Millar and Fabian Cancellara, and the result served to highlight his trajectory towards a place amongst the world’s elite.

 

Although his 2011 season was more modest (perhaps because he helped Contador’s bid on the Giro and Tour titles) Porte still displayed individual initiative and skills. He won a stage in the Vuelta a Castilla y Leon, in the Tour of Denmark, and made top ten in stages of the Paris-Nice, Vuelta al Pais Vasco, Tour de Romandie, Giro d’Italia, Tour de France and a sixth at the ITT WC. Not too shabby…

 

Sky

 

In 2012 Porte joined Team Sky, and his meteoric rise halted while he reconfigured himself (or was ordered to) into becoming one of the world’s best lieutenants, and revealed a new self-sacrificing side of himself. Nonetheless, he still managed to win his first stage race (Volta ao Algarve), along with a number of top ten places in different races.

 

Porte’s next season at Sky (see below) is what earned him the place as the world’s tenth best rider.

 

Porte’s 2013 season, and the reason as to why he is currently considered the #10 best pro-rider in the world

 

Porte’s victory, in the queen stage of this year’s Paris-Nice, dawned a 2013 season of unprecedented success for the Aussie. With 1.4km to go before the finish line, Porte turned around and gave yellow jersey Talansky a last glance before he powered away. On his way to victory Porte passed Menchov, the only rider ahead, and in an ominous display of power, proved that he is an upcoming champion, and not like the Russian, a thing of the past. Two days later he crushed the nearest competitors in the ITT, and soundly proved that Sky has additional instruments to play.

 

He repeated his ITT feat in the Critérium International, beating specialists Talansky, Froome, Van Garderen and Boaro, in the 7km long stage. The day after, yellow jersey Porte had to give way to team captain Froome, but still managed to ping-pong his way to a second place; a placing he also kept in the overall classification.

 

Just ten days after (at the Vuelta al Pais Vasco), Porte managed to drop Spilak, Contador, Gadret, Weening, Quintana, Henao and Sanchez, – on the flat nonetheless – thus stressing that he is a man to fear in all terrains. Another two days and Porte secured overall second (after winner Quintana).

 

Porte followed up on his Basque results with an overall eighth in the Tour de Romandie, a second-place in the Critérium du Dauphiné, and numerous top ten placements in the stages of the two races.

 

Now, for many riders such accomplishments would be sufficient to allow them a captain’s place on any World Tour team. Not Porte though, who despite the success also carried out lieutenant duties, to superior ranked Chris Froome, all along.

 

It was also in the lieutenant role that Porte entered the most important race on the cycling calendar; namely the Tour de France.

 

In the Tour Porte enjoyed additional success, beginning with his second place on the mountaintop finish of Castres – Ax 3 Domaines, behind team captain Froome. However, the famous time loss on stage nine, where Porte lost 18 minutes to eventual winner Daniel Martin, and another 17.39 to the favorites’ group (which consisted of all the top tier riders, and their respective second-in-commands) set him back. Had it not been for this stage Porte could have gunned for a Tour replica of 2012 where Sky – with Wiggins and Froome – dominated the final podium.

 

Two days later Porte clawed his way back, and managed a respectable fourth in the ITT of Avranches – Mon-Saint-Michel. He was only beaten by World Champion Tony Martin, eventual Tour winner Froome, and Thomas de Gendt, and thus again proved that he can be counted amongst the best in ITTs. Porte ensured another two top-ten places in the French mountains, and proved (perhaps most importantly) an invaluable help to Froome and the eventual overall Tour victory.

 

Porte’s end season has been less stellar, with a seventeenth place in the ITT World Championship to show as his best result.

 

2014 and the future

 

It is perhaps a bit odd that a man of Porte’s caliber has been content to play third violin at Sky (with both Wiggins and Froome – at least until now – his superiors), and with both Uran and Henao being his equals, or close to it.

 

Who knows what lured Porte away from Riis, and into the arms of Brailsford. Perhaps such a simple thing as money? The possibility of riding in the best and most advanced cycling team currently in existence? Or even Brailsford’s catchphrase “the aggregation of marginal gains”?

 

No matter.

 

Porte’s talent is (and has been) obvious, and it is only natural that he will lead a Grand Tour in 2014.

 

His Giro title aim will for the first time be backed by an entire team handpicked to do his biddings. While Froome may draw off the best for the Tour, Sky is so strong that both GT teams will be capable of strong support.

 

No matter the Giro competition Porte will be counted amongst the pre-race favorites.

 

Porte is still young, and is still developing. As with many other riders who joined professional cycling at a late age, Porte is still on the rise.

 

He can climb with the very best. He can beat the time trial clock against most. He has proven that he can perform in long stage races.

 

Richie Porte’s 2014 season will be incredible interesting to follow.

 

Porte’s Palmarès

 

2007

1st Overall Tour of Bright

1st Stages 1 & 2

 

2008

1st Overall Tour de Perth

1st Stages 2 & 3

1st Overall Tour of Tasmania

1st Stages 7 & 9

1st Stage 2 Tour of Wellington

5th Overall Herald Sun Tour

9th Overall Tour Down Under

 

2009

1st GP Citta di Felino

1st Stage 2 Giro del Friuli-Venezia-Giulia

1st Stage 4 (ITT) Girobio

3rd National Time Trial Championships

3rd Coppa della Pace

4th Giro Valli Aretine

10th Overall Tour de Langkawi

 

2010

4th Overall Tour of Britain

4th Overall Eneco Tour

4th World Time Trial Championships

7th Overall Giro d'Italia

1st  Young rider classification

Jersey held from Stage 11–13

10th Overall Tour de Romandie

1st Stage 3 (ITT)

10th Clásica de San Sebastián

 

2011

1st Stage 4 (ITT) Vuelta a Castilla y León

1st Stage 5 (ITT) Post Danmark Rundt

6th World Time Trial Championships

 

2012

1st  Overall Volta ao Algarve

1st Stage 3

3rd National Road Race Championships[6]

4th Overall Tour de Romandie

4th Overall Bayern-Rundfahrt

9th Overall Critérium du Dauphiné

 

2013

1st  Overall Paris–Nice

1st Stages 5 & 7 (ITT)

2nd Overall Critérium International

1st  Points classification

1st Stage 2 (ITT)

2nd Overall Tour of the Basque Country

1st Stage 5

2nd Overall Critérium du Dauphiné

3rd Team time trial, Road World Championships

8th Overall Tour de Romandie