Richie Porte’s long road to France starts at Tour Down Under
AS RICHIE Porte launches his assault on the 2018 Tour de France, the foundation for another crack at the sport’s holy grail will be laid in Adelaide at the Santos Tour Down Under this week.
AS RICHIE Porte launches his assault on the 2018 Tour de France, the foundation for another crack at the sport’s holy grail will be laid in Adelaide at the Santos Tour Down Under (TDU) this week.
The 32-year-old Tasmanian returns to the TDU as the defending champion after finally winning the season-opening WorldTour race at his sixth attempt last year.
Having owned Willunga Hill with stage victories there in 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017, last year it all came together for Australia’s top road cyclist who won by a massive 48 seconds from Colombian Esteban Chaves. He took his form to Europe where he won the queen stage of Paris-Nice, won the Tour of Romandie, finished second at the Criterium du Dauphine and was headed for the podium of the Tour de France before a horror crash on Stage 9.
So, not surprisingly, the BMC superstar has again decided that the TDU is the perfect way to start his season.
“It’s so easy to be motivated for Tour Down Under, without a doubt it’s one of the best organised races on the calendar,” he said.
“Willunga Hill on the penultimate stage, those crowds are up there with the crowds you see in the Tour de France.
“Especially this year it’s the 20th anniversary of the race and you’ve really got to tip your hat to Mike Turtur and what he’s done with the race. “It’s incredible, I was lucky enough to ride it in the national team in 2008 and it really kicked my career off at the time.
“I can’t say enough about it and Adelaide that gets right behind the race.
“It’s head and shoulders the best race in Australia.”
After finishing the TDU second overall in 2016, second in 2015 and fourth in 2014, last year’s breakthrough, more than anything, was a relief for the talented climber and time triallist.
“Being second so many times to finally win it on the last stage in Adelaide in the ochre jersey, it’s such a brilliant feeling,” he said.
“To go back to The Hilton (hotel) and see my name on the steps it’s going to be a funny thing but I love that race.
“I was desperate to win it, I’ve won Willunga four times now so to finally finish it off and win the GC was such a nice feeling.
“Then I came back to Launceston and everyone was watching the race and people came up to me and said ‘congratulations’.”
Porte has made Old Willunga Hill his own since it was transformed to host the finish of the penultimate stage in 2012.
With his trademark explosive power he has burst clear of his rivals in the final kilometre to win with arms outstretched as he crosses the line.
If he had to pick one of the last four times he’s conquered Old Willunga Hill as his favourite, it was 2016 when Team Sky’s Sergio Henao held on for as long as possible.
“Last year where I had to unload Sergio Henao who sat on me the whole climb — and I don’t begrudge him because that’s just how it is,” he said.
“But that was a nice one for me because I’d resigned myself to the fact I was going to be second (overall), then I gave him one little kick and looked under my arm and I could see him getting dropped and found wings.
“That last 300 metres I know every year when I see Simon Mottram from Rapha cheering that it’s 300m to go, but it’s one of the most excruciating 300 metres you could do.
“And it’s like a sound tunnel up there, Aussies do it so well.
“It’s an incredible feeling, for sure when I retire that’s going to be one of the sweetest moments of my career to win on Willunga.
“The Saturday afternoon on Willunga is the most enjoyable press conference of the whole year.”
The TDU will be just his third race back from a season-ending Tour de France crash last year when he suffered a broken collarbone, pelvis and bruised ribs on the descent of the Mont du Chat.
“I was in really good form, had a good team around me and was ready to challenge, and to be laid up in hospital eating hospital food — I realised it was a massive missed opportunity,” Porte said.
“But the flip side of that is this is such a small part of my life and to be able to move all my hands and legs was more important than anything else.”
He watched the rest of the Tour de France on TV but had to switch off when they did the podium presentation in Paris.
“That was my big goal of the year, I won Tour Down Under, Tour of Romandie, but the podium in the Tour was my big goal.”
Porte returns to the TDU with a super-strength BMC Racing Team which features the past four winners of the race and two former national champions.
Already boasting Porte, Rohan Dennis and Miles Scotson, BMC has been bolstered in the off-season by the signing of star veteran Simon Gerrans who has won the TDU a record four times.
Gerrans is one of the greatest cyclists Australia has ever produced and will fill the role of road captain for Porte throughout the season.
“It’s such a brilliant signing to have Simon Gerrans, a guy you’ve always looked up to and a legend of Aussie cycling, now he’s on my team,” Porte said.
“He’s that guy I always needed, a brilliant road captain and a top fella so I’m really excited to race with Gerro.”
This year’s course is again expected to suit Porte with back-to-back hill stages at Uraidla on Friday and Willunga Hill on Saturday.
reece.homfray@news.com.au
10 THINGS YOU DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT RICHIE PORTE
1 He grew up in Launceston, Tasmania, which also produced Australian cricket greats Ricky Ponting and David Boon.
2 His first job was as a lifeguard at the Launceston Pool while he raced triathlon and later turned to cycling.
3 He has won the Santos Tour Down Under’s queen stage to the top of Willunga Hill four times in a row, from 2014-17.
4 His favourite sport outside of cycling is MotoGP.
5 He swims 4km every day while home in Launceston in the off-season.
6 He has a three-year-old pet dog, a rottweiler named Fritz.
7 Having emerged through the domestic cycling scene, Porte is the new face of the National Road Series.
8 One of his closest friends in international cycling is Australian sprinter Michael Matthews who won the green jersey at this year’s Tour de France.
9 He has been part of three Tour de France winning teams with Sky alongside Bradley Wiggins (2012) and Chris Froome (2013, 2015).
10 His favourite off-season indulgence is Toblerone