Richie Porte’s recovery from puncture to take fifth place shows he is a Tour de France contender
RICHIE Porte went into the Tour de France hoping to win and although he has just missed the podium his fifth-place finish has made a significant statement, says Reece Homfray
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RICHIE Porte went into the Tour de France hoping to win and although he has just missed the podium his fifth-place finish has made a significant statement.
It has answered several questions that had lingered over the Tasmanian while signalling his intent for next year and beyond.
It has left no doubt that the Tour de France is suited to him and he can go the distance over three weeks. In the third and so-often decisive week, Porte has climbed and time trialled with the best of them.
He has gone from potential Tour contender to the real thing and his performance has shown that in the right circumstances the yellow jersey is not beyond him.
His decision to leave Chris Froome and Team Sky to lead BMC has been vindicated.
As Froome rode into Paris last night to claim his third yellow jersey, Porte was fifth, five mins 17secs behind, but that doesn’t tell the full story.
Porte lost 1min 45secs due to an untimely puncture on Stage 2 but he was still the only one who even looked like worrying Froome in the final week.
When he attacked on the climb to Finhaut-Emosson on Stage 17, Froome was the only one on his wheel, while Nairo Quintana could only watch them ride away.
The result should end discussion about dual leadership at BMC next year.
Tejay van Garderen has been disappointing, finishing 29th over an hour behind Froome and has admitted his legs just didn’t have it this year.
While the cycling world will take notice, the significance of Porte’s fifth place should not be lost on the wider Australian sporting public either.
Outside of Cadel Evans, who has been first, second and fourth in ‘La Grand Boucle’, Porte’s fifth is the best finish by an Australian in 31 years and equal to Phil Anderson in 1985.
If you take away the puncture on Stage 2 then Porte would be on the podium in outright second spot.
But the Tour de France is such an unpredictable beast that “what ifs” are irrelevant.
Because what if Andy Schleck had not dropped his chain in the Pyrenees in 2010? Albeit he was retrospectively awarded the yellow jersey when Alberto Contador was done for doping.
And what if that year Cadel Evans had not broken his arm in the first week and had to endure the pain for the next two?
Or what if Froome hadn’t crashed out on the cobblestones in 2014 - this year could have been his fourth instead of third yellow jersey?
Most Tour champions will have to endure their fair share of bad luck beforehand and Evans’ trajectory to the yellow jersey should be of some comfort to Porte.
Evans was 8th, 4th, 2nd, 2nd, 30th and 26th before finally breaking through in 2011 at the age of 34.
Porte is 31 and as a GC rider is coming into his prime.
While he and BMC may rue the Stage 2 puncture for some time, of more significance going forward is how he responded to the challenge.
He dug in, refused to give up and kept riding which as Evans will attest is the mentality you need to finally win the hardest bike race in the world.
reece.homfray@news.com.au
Originally published as Richie Porte’s recovery from puncture to take fifth place shows he is a Tour de France contender
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