How good is Porte? he is cool to start with!

[tidean]

Richie Porte did an amazing ride/rides at the Giro, other young riders have done well & young riders are often given a big predictions for their futures. But Porte seems so cool, level headed & mature that I reckon is ominous. Now that we are in a progressively better era with regard to clean competition this guy surely has to have one of the better futures around!!!!
Whats ur opinion????

 

[BroDeal]

He will be a formidable competitor as long as the field gives him a twelve minute head start. Barring the head start, I'm putting my money on Kiserlovski.

 

[ericthesportsman6]

Richie Porte did an amazing ride/rides at the Giro, other young riders have done well & young riders are often given a big predictions for their futures. But Porte seems so cool, level headed & mature that I reckon is ominous. Now that we are in a progressively better era with regard to clean competition this guy surely has to have one of the better futures around!!!!
Whats ur opinion????

I have no idea why people are making such a big deal about him, he managed to ride into a top 10 spot with a 12 minute head start. He's solid, but theres nothing particularly special about him.

 

[Ferminal]

I have no idea why people are making such a big deal about him, he managed to ride into a top 10 spot with a 12 minute head start. He's solid, but theres nothing particularly special about him.

He finished in the top10 irrespective of the "it was just a lucky break", not bad for a first GT.

 

[Runitout]

I have no idea why people are making such a big deal about him, he managed to ride into a top 10 spot with a 12 minute head start. He's solid, but theres nothing particularly special about him.

Agreed. He's also 25 - he's no Peter Sagan.

Looks like he'll do well as a pro, and seems like a nice guy. I hardly see him as the Next Big Thing. Maybe let's wait until he wins something bigger than a stage of the Tour of Romandie and we can reassess.

 

[klmorgan]

I have no idea why people are making such a big deal about him, he managed to ride into a top 10 spot with a 12 minute head start. He's solid, but theres nothing particularly special about him.

Preperation and talent, of course, plays a big part in cycling, however you have to have some luck (which he did).

Once he had his little bit of luck, he was then able to hold his position, and achieve a good result.

He should develop significantly as time goes on, into a good GT rider, possible a contender (given how difficult the Giro was - both weather and the route).

 

[Nearly]

I have no idea why people are making such a big deal about him, he managed to ride into a top 10 spot with a 12 minute head start. He's solid, but theres nothing particularly special about him.

The irony is that he he has only been "solid" all his brief career - without doing anything spectacular he has just kept going up a class or two (and that was one classy Giro) - the parable of the hare & the tortoise comes to mind i.e. "slow and steady wins the race". Who knows he might just progress sedately to a class of his own.

 

[Notso Swift]

He will be a formidable competitor as long as the field gives him a twelve minute head start. Barring the head start, I'm putting my money on Kiserlovski.

With a 12 minute head start then Porte would have ended almost 20 minutes up on Kiserlovski

They were in the same break

What is more Porte put more than 5 minutes into him in the last week
The Rabobank guy in 3rd would have been about the same time.
He is 25 but he is also still a Neo, just look at the roundness of his face, that will be stripped back in a year or two..
He had numerous top 20 finishes, not to mention his TT win at Romandie, so I do no think there is any question he has that "something" whether it is a GC thing, I do not know, and I doubt it is GT, but week longs, OK. Quality

 

[BroDeal]

With a 12 minute head start then Porte would have ended almost 20 minutes up on Kiserlovski

They were in the same break
What is more Porte put more than 5 minutes into him in the last week

Kiserlovski was working his ass off for Basso instead of gold bricking it to maintain his top ten like a certain Aussie.

 

[joy118118]

With a 12 minute head start then Porte would have ended almost 20 minutes up on Kiserlovski

They were in the same break

What is more Porte put more than 5 minutes into him in the last week
The Rabobank guy in 3rd would have been about the same time.

Kiserlovski helped Basso and Nibali.

There are too many hype on Porte and Bobridge. They are still young and no experience.

 

[Notso Swift]

Also consider that comparing to the other 40 breakaways, he only lost 5 minutes to Arroyo and Sastre in that final week, which for any young rider is remarkable, considering the course, bit more to Scarponi, but still less than any other white jersey contender. (Indeed less than 90% of the field)

 

[rgmerk]

Kiserlovski helped Basso and Nibali.

There are too many hype on Porte and Bobridge. They are still young and no experience.

Excuse us Aussies for being excited about a new rider showing a lot of promise.

Is he going to be a GT GC contender? Maybe, maybe not. There are a lot of talented young riders out there - Martin, Gesink...For that matter, Andy Schleck and Alberto Contador aren't exactly decrepit.

 

[Night Rider]

Whats ur opinion????

Hard to say after one GT, but gee he did pretty well, I wouldn’t put too much emphasis in him gaining an easy 12 minutes either, if he had enough skills to be in the bunch that mattered then that’s his good management.

Let’s see how he’s going after another 2 GT’s, I’d imagine the next ones will be spent working for someone else.

 

[RedheadDane]

I have no idea why people are making such a big deal about him, he managed to ride into a top 10 spot with a 12 minute head start. He's solid, but theres nothing particularly special about him.

He was in top 10 before the crazy break! In fact he never left it...

 

[Jan the Man]

Excuse us Aussies for being excited about a new rider showing a lot of promise.

Is he going to be a GT GC contender? Maybe, maybe not. There are a lot of talented young riders out there - Martin, Gesink...For that matter, Andy Schleck and Alberto Contador aren't exactly decrepit.

Exactly Schlecklet is younger than Porte...

Nevertheless- it was an excellent debut GT by Porte.

 

[ingsve]

Porte will probably be the type of GC rider that Michael Rogers is right now. Good TT and can defend himself up to a point in the mountains but not dominate in climbs in any way. In a few years if he hardens up even more he could possibly be a contender for a top 5 or top 3 in a Tour that doesn't have too many high mountains passes.

 

[RedheadDane]

Hard to say after one GT, but gee he did pretty well, I wouldn’t put too much emphasis in him gaining an easy 12 minutes either, if he had enough skills to be in the bunch that mattered then that’s his good management.

Let’s see how he’s going after another 2 GT’s, I’d imagine the next ones will be spent working for someone else.

In fact I was thinking about something during the Giro. Depending on how early Porte was put on the Giro squad Riis might have intended him as a sort of helper for C. Sørensen who, if not for the broken collarbone, should have been team captain. Instead it ended up being the other way round; with Chris playing a major helping role for Richie!

 

[movingtarget]

Agreed. He's also 25 - he's no Peter Sagan.

Looks like he'll do well as a pro, and seems like a nice guy. I hardly see him as the Next Big Thing. Maybe let's wait until he wins something bigger than a stage of the Tour of Romandie and we can reassess.

That's right he is no Peter Sagan and Sagan is no Richie Porte. I see Sagan as more of a sprinter, classics rider and a good allrounder but will he keep it up for 3 weeks in time trials and over mountains. I'm not convinced. I see him as more of a Cunego type rider. Kiserlovski has a big future. Porte is already a much better time triallist than both and pretty solid in the mountains. For his first attempt at a grand tour and a gruelling one with the weather and the course, he was pretty impressive. I wonder how Basso and all of the riders that finished ahead of him fared in their first grand tour ?

 

[thrawn]

That's right he is no Peter Sagan and Sagan is no Richie Porte. I see Sagan as more of a sprinter, classics rider and a good allrounder but will he keep it up for 3 weeks in time trials and over mountains. I'm not convinced. I see him as more of a Cunego type rider. Kiserlovski has a big future. Porte is already a much better time triallist than both and pretty solid in the mountains. For his first attempt at a grand tour and a gruelling one with the weather and the course, he was pretty impressive. I wonder how Basso and all of the riders that finished ahead of him fared in their first grand tour ?

The Sydney Morning Herald gives an overview of how Porte's Giro debut compared to Cadel's. You can see it at http://www.smh.com.au/sport/cycling/echoes-of-evans-in-portes-bigtime-debut-20100531-wrez.html

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

With a 12 minute head start then Porte would have ended almost 20 minutes up on Kiserlovski

They were in the same break

What is more Porte put more than 5 minutes into him in the last week
The Rabobank guy in 3rd would have been about the same time.
He is 25 but he is also still a Neo, just look at the roundness of his face, that will be stripped back in a year or two..
He had numerous top 20 finishes, not to mention his TT win at Romandie, so I do no think there is any question he has that "something" whether it is a GC thing, I do not know, and I doubt it is GT, but week longs, OK. Quality

If we're trying to weigh this up fairly, you probably want to note that Kiserlovski was a domestique, whilst porte was team leader. I'm new to this cycling thing, but I've heard it makes a bit of a difference to the end result.

 

[*G*K*S*]

That's right he is no Peter Sagan and Sagan is no Richie Porte. I see Sagan as more of a sprinter, classics rider and a good allrounder but will he keep it up for 3 weeks in time trials and over mountains. I'm not convinced. I see him as more of a Cunego type rider. Kiserlovski has a big future. Porte is already a much better time triallist than both and pretty solid in the mountains. For his first attempt at a grand tour and a gruelling one with the weather and the course, he was pretty impressive. I wonder how Basso and all of the riders that finished ahead of him fared in their first grand tour ?

I was bored, so from what I could gather:

Basso - 52rd - 2000 Giro - Amica Chips-Tacconi Sport
Arroyo - 53rd - 2005 TdF - Ille Balears-Caisse d'Epargne
Nibali - 19th - 2007 Giro - Liquigas
Scarponi - 18th - 2002 Giro - Acqua e Sapone-Cantina Tollo
Evans - 14th - 2002 Giro - Mapei-Quick Step
Vino - 35th - 1999 TdF - Casino-Ag2R

 

[Black-Balled]

I have no idea why people are making such a big deal about him, he managed to ride into a top 10 spot with a 12 minute head start. He's solid, but theres nothing particularly special about him.

As far as GC, true that a 12min head start is helpful... doubt he is afforded such latitude by the peloton again.

But he is a very good TT hammer. Beyond solid, to dam solid, IMO.

 

[jaylew]

I think some of the guys here are selling this guy short. 25 or no, he's a neo-pro and to finish as well as he did in a Giro as tough as this one is no small feat. Kis and Sagan have bright futures as well, but not the potential Porte has in GTs in my opinion. To have the TT/Climbing combination he has as a first-year pro is huge.

 

[RedheadDane]

As far as GC, true that a 12min head start is helpful... doubt he is afforded such latitude by the peloton again.

Don't think the favourites at any race will ever let such a huge group get away again... Rain or not.

 

[jaylew]

People are making too much of the 12 minute breakaway. He finishes 9th or 10th even without it.