It usually takes much more than satisfying results obtained in races and an excellent shape to be provided with a rare opportunity to lead Team Sky in one of the major events of the UCI calendar. However, the British squad consequently applies late changes to their rosters this season, which saw Geraint Thomas the captain for Paris-Nice, Riche Porte for Tirreno-Adriatico or Mikel Nieve for Vuelta al Pais Vasco.

 

The latest, most spectacular yet rather expected twist of action was announced on Monday, with Porte being pulled out of the Giro d’Italia – the event which was named his season’s main objective, reportedly due to prolonged health problems witch prevented the Tasmanian rider from undergoing a proper build-up towards the Italian grand tour.

 

Rumours about Porte withdrawing from the Giro were circulating since his withdrawal from Tirreno-Adriatico and escalated after the Team Sky rider abandoned Volta a Catalunya following a big time loss at an overly undemanding first stage of the mountainous event, reportedly due to gastroenteritis.

 

As a result, the 29-year old Australian was unable to undergo proper training for last three weeks and thus, unsurprisingly, fully supported Team Sky’s decision to pull him out of the Giro d’Italia and redirect his focus into the Tour de France, in which he should play his favourite role of Chris Froome’s best man.

 

"Now I can get on with preparing for the Tour as best I can," Porte told Fairfax Media on Wednesday from a team training camp in Tenerife.

 

"I lost three weeks of training, or three weeks where I wasn’t able to train properly and that’s not the best thing when you have an event marked out.

 

"So I think it was a smart decision to sit the Giro out his year. I’m at the point now where I can recover and go to the Tour in absolute top form."

 

Porte acknowledges that Team Sky will need their very best team in order to win the third consecutive Tour de France title, however, seems unconcerned in the same time by health problems of his leader and his latest unimpressive showings while compared to the likes of Alberto Contador (Tinkoff-Saxo) or Alejandro Valverde (Movistar).

 

"We are going to have a great Tour team ... and it’s going to be stronger than last year," Porte said.

 

"I think we will be ready to take on Contador, Nibali, Valverde and whoever else on in the high mountains."

 

While the main role to play in the coming 101st Tour edition for the Australian rider will be supporting Froome just like he did last year, the 2013 Paris-Nice winner believes he won’t be deprived his own chances to shine in the French grand tour. There is a strong impression that a possibility to play his own cards without a responsibility connected with being team’s leader is the situation which Porte enjoys most.

 

"He is the favourite. He is the best rider in the peloton," Porte said of Froome.

 

"People are saying Contador and this and that, but I think Chris is still head and shoulders the strongest guy.

 

“It doesn’t make sense for me to go in there thinking I am going to have a team riding for me, but I think I can play off that too.

 

“If I go in there in top form … I don’t see why I can’t help Chris out and also run a good [place] on 'GC' [general classification] as well.

 

“If I haven’t got to do anything until the last few kilometres in those summit top finishes, I can play a card – to help Chris pull or maybe attack."

 

Considering splendid condition presented by Froome’s biggest Tour de France rivals and very uncertain situation of Sergio Henao – initially expected to be a key support to the Briton in the French grand Tour, it seemed obvious the Team Sky would need Porte at his best in July. However, the 29-year old Australian insists it wasn’t a case when the decision about his withdrawal from the Giro has been made.

 

“Alberto is in much better form this year. He is in top form now. Maybe he is going to pay for that down the path too, you just don’t know," Porte said.

 

“It’s a shame to sit out the Giro when in your whole off season you have been saying that is my goal and then go to the Tour.

 

“The Tour is still a massive opportunity as a team player, but there are going to be opportunities there where I might be able to go for a stage."

 

It is certainly a shame that Porte will not participate in the Giro d’Italia, as the Australian was expected to excel on this year’s course perfectly suited to his characteristics – despite some last-minute climbs inserted to its route by organizers.