Richie Porte out to prove he can fill Chris Froome's shoes and deliver
Third Straight Tour de France Win for Team Sky
- Australian leading Team Sky after defending champion Froome pulled out
- 29-year-old Porte is second overall in Tour de France behind Vincenzo Nibali
- Porte reveals talk from Sir Dave Brailsford helped turn his season around
The Tour de France paused for a rest day on Tuesday and Richie Porte, the Australian leading Team Sky and second overall, revealed that it was a talk from Sir Dave Brailsford that turned his season around.
Porte was due to lead the team at the Giro d’Italia in May but withdrew when he fell ill.
'It was at one of the training camps when Dave took me aside and said, “Stop bashing your head against a brick wall",’ said Porte. ‘It was in Tenerife at the top of one of the climbs. I was two minutes behind my best time.'
Stepping up: Richie Porte (centre) is now leading Team Sky after Chris Froome's retirement
Leading the way: Team Sky head up the peloton and protect their leader Richie Porte
Challenge: Stage 11 of the Tour de France
Brailsford, the Team Sky boss, felt that Porte was measuring himself against his best form and failing to take into account that he was returning from illness.
‘Dave said, “Relax. We’re behind you, we support you, you have the talent”. Since then I’ve been more professional than I’ve ever been,’ said the Tasmanian.
Brailsford, who has won the past two Tours with different riders, Sir Bradley Wiggins and Chris Froome, is now eyeing a third with Porte, who replaced the injured Froome as leader.
‘It’s easy being a No 2,’ said Brailsford. ‘It’s like being the consigliere in the Mafia. They are brilliant No 2s but can they step up? It is quite a lonely place when you look up and see no one above you.’
Describing Porte as ‘a little terrier’, Brailsford said the 29-year-old is thriving in his new role, adding: ‘When we think about Tassie (Tasmanian) sports stars there is a certain character trait. They are battlers, vocal. You know they will fight to the end. He is one of those.’
A place on the podium beckons but Porte said he believed Vincenzo Nibali, the Italian in the yellow jersey who has a 2min 23sec lead, is beatable and that Froome urged him to believe that.
‘The last thing Chris said to me was, “You can have these guys — believe that”,’ said Porte. ‘Sometimes Chris has more belief in me than I do.’
Another big name dropped out yesterday with Switzerland’s Fabian Cancellara announcing his withdrawal to prepare for September’s Road World Championships in Spain.
Out: Chris Froome (centre) retired from the Tour de France after suffering multiple injuries
Treatment: Froome had to pull out of the Tour de France due to injury after crash