Poll: Where will Richie Porte finish on GC?

[papafrog]

i think u guys are living in a fantasy land with yr predictions of massive sustained attacks on the sky train left right and centre. Or maybe just living in the past. As we saw in the tour last year, the sky train set a relentless strong pace up the climbs so that it is virtually impossible for a single rider to get away for very long. It doesnt matter how many attacks there are, they just grind on at the same pre-programmed speed. Porte will be very near the front at the end of every mountain stage no doubt. Sky wont want him to sit up because they know he is a yellow jersey candidate should anything bad happen to Froome. And he is a strong TTer. Anyone thinking he's gonna be outside top 10 must be on drugs. And as for the likes of Mollema, Pinot and VDB being stronger climbers.... laughable.

Skye's team is not nearly as strong as last year. It's missing domestiques Rogers and Froome and Thomas is riding with a fractured hip. Add to that a much, much tougher route and the addition of in form climbers Valverde, Contador, Evans, Schleck, Rodriguez, etc etc and you've got a much different result then Skye just riding tempo to reel in attacks like last year.

 

[willbick]

lol good luck with that prediction buddy

 

[papafrog]

lol good luck with that prediction buddy

Yes, and it's completely normal for teams to just ride tempo to reel in attacks of the best climbers in the world. LOL

 

[auscyclefan94]

Just for the record Kerrison said that Porte is in the absolute form of his life.

Not hard to be in the form of your life when over past years you have climbed terribly.

 

[myrideissteelerthanyours]

Yes, and it's completely normal for teams to just ride tempo to reel in attacks of the best climbers in the world. LOL

Skyberdyne industries was only able to pull it off because of a weak field last year. I agree. Wigans won ffs. In reality this race is very close and the ttt will be marginal gains at best so when we get to the mountains we get to see fireworks!

 

[Jelantik]

He could be top 10. With strong field of climbers, it's hard to see him getting podium. This isn't last year tour. Unless, all the strong contender crash out. Even if the sky team riding tempo all the way to the top, this year every GC contenders are prepared to the max. At the end even if everyone is sprinting to the line, I can't see Porte will be able to mix with the likes of valverde, purito, contador, hesjedal (?), Talansky, Evan, Tejay, VDB, quintana after pulling so long. Remember his job is to ride as hard as he can so no one can attack. Eventually, he'll run out of gas. Quintana might have better chance than him since he said in his interview, his job is to disrupt the sky express . If he wants to be podium, he'd better smash the ITT and gain like 3 minutes or more.

 

[saneguy]

Expect him to be outside the Top 10. The rest of the field has far too many contenders who do not need to be a domestique. Richie has the task of taking care of Froome as well.

 

[Polyarmour]

I think Porte will be burnt out protecting Froome. After all that is what normally happens and Stage 2 showed some evidence of it already. The situation last year with Froome and Wiggo was highly unusual. Could Porte pull Froome up the mountain for 5 minutes then take off and win the stage like Froomy did last year? Not a chance. Porte 2013 < Froome 2012.

 

[willbick]

The drafting effect when climbing is minimal.

 

[willbick]

I think Porte will be burnt out protecting Froome. After all that is what normally happens and Stage 2 showed some evidence of it already. The situation last year with Froome and Wiggo was highly unusual. Could Porte pull Froome up the mountain for 5 minutes then take off and win the stage like Froomy did last year? Not a chance. Porte 2013 < Froome 2012.

He doesnt need to 'take off and win the stage' to finish high on GC

 

[icefire]

The drafting effect when climbing is minimal.

This is not what Rolland said after Alpe d'Huez 2011

 

[darwin553]

I'm afraid outside the top 10 for me. He has to sacrifice himself for the good of Froome but come other years when he is a leader of a team (which he could be for almost any other team at the TDF) he will be a contender for GC.

 

[gooner]

I'm afraid outside the top 10 for me. He has to sacrifice himself for the good of Froome but come other years when he is a leader of a team (which he could be for almost any other team at the TDF) he will be a contender for GC.

Brailsford has talked about them being the two best riders in the race and Porte as a back up if some unforeseen disaster happened to Froome in the future.

He will be doing his share of the work for Froome of course but they will look also to keep him in a good GC position for insurance in case the above was to arise. Froome also spoke up for Porte's chances of a podium spot so he seems to have the backing of him as well if circumstances dictate that this is a possibility in the backend of the race. He's not going to be attacking but he's not going to be pulling off the front after doing his workload either. With the exception of Froome attacking, he will be looking to mark the attacks of the other rival GC riders. He will be trying to do this even if Froome is up the road on his own and should be able to get a good GC result if he was to pull it off by doing this.

 

[nick101]

I can't see any possible placing except outside top 10. On the final climb, it'll be just him and froome isolated (having several sky riders injured doesn't help) so he'll have his work cut out for him chasing down attacks from all the gc riders; he'll eventually crack after the colossal effort, leaving froome isolated like we all were hoping for.

 

[jens_attacks]

i had and still have big hope for him but i don't think he will be even in top 20
it was already him working for chris on marsolino for christ sake. no way he can get a good gc if they will be again isolated

 

[The Eggman]

I've bet porte at 300/1 each way, thats 75/1 to podium. I think he will podium, maybe finish 2nd to froome. He climbs as well as any except maybe froome.

Where on earth did you find 75/1 for top 3 for Porte?

 

[willbick]

he was 300/1 with several bookies after winning Paris Nice.

p.s. FOR THE LAST TIME.... SKY DO NOT 'CHASE' ATTACKS. THEY MAINTAIN A UNIFORM FAST PACE WHICH IS THE QUICKEST THEY CAN GET TO THE TOP. PORTE WILL NOT 'CHASE' ANYONE. It doesnt matter how many 'attacks' there are, one guy can only get to the finish so fast.

 

[papafrog]

p.s. FOR THE LAST TIME.... SKY DO NOT 'CHASE' ATTACKS. THEY MAINTAIN A UNIFORM FAST PACE WHICH IS THE QUICKEST THEY CAN GET TO THE TOP. PORTE WILL NOT 'CHASE' ANYONE. It doesnt matter how many 'attacks' there are, one guy can only get to the finish so fast.

Generally, that's true but that won't be the case in this year's Tour. Last year was a much easier route and Skye had a much stronger team. Hell, Wiggins rode tempo the entire Tour and won easily behind his Skye train of Froome, Rogers, Porte, etc. This year it's just Porte and leader Froome who stand out. The rest of the team will be blown up in the high mountains especially if Froome has the jersey sooner than later.

 

[icefire]

he was 300/1 with several bookies after winning Paris Nice.

p.s. FOR THE LAST TIME.... SKY DO NOT 'CHASE' ATTACKS. THEY MAINTAIN A UNIFORM FAST PACE WHICH IS THE QUICKEST THEY CAN GET TO THE TOP. PORTE WILL NOT 'CHASE' ANYONE. It doesnt matter how many 'attacks' there are, one guy can only get to the finish so fast.

It's been said before: Froome 2012 >> Porte 2013. Tempo climbing worked last year because the pacemaker was the best climber in the bunch. Porte still has a lot to prove in that aspect.

 

[willbick]

It's been said before: Froome 2012 >> Porte 2013. Tempo climbing worked last year because the pacemaker was the best climber in the bunch. Porte still has a lot to prove in that aspect.

does he? have u seen any races this season?!

 

[icefire]

does he? have u seen any races this season?!

Yeah, he's done nothing that Tony Martin hasn't done in the past. So?

 

[Gloin22]

does he? have u seen any races this season?!

He's been strong.

But not Froome 2012 strong.

He could finish on podiu, but I doubt it.

Top 5 on other hand could be possible.

 

[karlboss]

Just thought this thread was a worth a second look.

 

[LaFlorecita]

he was 300/1 with several bookies after winning Paris Nice.

p.s. FOR THE LAST TIME.... SKY DO NOT 'CHASE' ATTACKS. THEY MAINTAIN A UNIFORM FAST PACE WHICH IS THE QUICKEST THEY CAN GET TO THE TOP. PORTE WILL NOT 'CHASE' ANYONE. It doesnt matter how many 'attacks' there are, one guy can only get to the finish so fast.

Ha.......!

 

[willbick]

hahahaha lol