Richie Porte Discussion Thread.

[ppanther92]

I am actually happy that he is doing so good in his "last" GT. I think he will get 4th but then again thats his best performance in a GT ever.

 

[sienna]

Richie has taken back some of his reputation this year after some horror Tours. I didn't expect he would consistently be with the leaders.

 

[md1975]

Richie has taken back some of his reputation this year after some horror Tours. I didn't expect he would consistently be with the leaders.

I think the team was to blame for much of the last few years. Porte has been a top rider for awhile, so minus bad luck, what would make him mess up? The planning and prep from the team management. That is my thinking. Could he have won a GT with a better team or prep... not sure if I will go that far. Still, I like Porte and glad to see he is doing well.

 

[The Hegelian]

It's above the shoulders. Porte seems to just have a bit more grit about him this tour, and if you're fighting for podiums in a GT, you need a lot of grit. Maybe it's the birth thing, maybe it's the pain of all the missed chances + next year heading to dom duties. He's usually been too mild mannered - remember that time when Froome attacked him in the Dauphine, and he was like 'wtf?' and Froome was like 'we're on different teams, GC is ruthless.'

Similar to Evans, as LS pointed out. Evans always had grit, but always lacked confidence in key moments. The WC win changed that.

 

[movingtarget]

Race still isn't over but he has overcome a lot. Has to hold hold off for 3 more stages.

His team have done well in support since the crosswind aberration. I expect him to finish fourth but I'm hoping for third. Either way it's his best grand tour performance. 2016 was the one that got away re the podium and 2017/18 was just a nightmare.

 

[lenric]

So this is the last weekend of Porte as a GC rider (in GTs at least).
Just imagine if lady luck comes knocking on his door tomorrow after he makes a very good time. Something like raining cats and dogs, making Porte the yellow jersey.

 

[movingtarget]

So this is the last weekend of Porte as a GC rider (in GTs at least).
Just imagine if lady luck comes knocking on his door tomorrow after he makes a very good time. Something like raining cats and dogs, making Porte the yellow jersey.

That only happens in the movies................if he misses the podium he can blame the crosswind stage which is a shame but that's what grand tour racing is about. You have to be alert every day. Even this week Porte has been spending too much time at the back of the bunch. So far it has worked for him. He has been dicing with danger doing it even with a team mate beside him. Of course he's not the only one to do it but someone like Evans or Froome would be sitting behind the Jumbo train all stage or for most of it. Obviously for Porte it takes the pressure off him to ride like that but when Sivakov fell yesterday near the back of the bunch, Porte just missed the accident being close by.

 

[Cookster15]

It's above the shoulders. Porte seems to just have a bit more grit about him this tour, and if you're fighting for podiums in a GT, you need a lot of grit. Maybe it's the birth thing, maybe it's the pain of all the missed chances + next year heading to dom duties. He's usually been too mild mannered - remember that time when Froome attacked him in the Dauphine, and he was like 'wtf?' and Froome was like 'we're on different teams, GC is ruthless.'

Similar to Evans, as LS pointed out. Evans always had grit, but always lacked confidence in key moments. The WC win changed that.

Grit, confidence and a relaxed mind. I definitely noticed the latter two traits in Evans when he won and in Porte this Tour. Lets see what that means in the TT. He can only do his best and see if that is enough.

 

[lenric]

One good thing about Evans was that he always had a very good positioning.

 

[42x16ss]

One good thing about Evans was that he always had a very good positioning.

Not always actually. McEwen and Van Summeren have both said that Evans' positioning in the bunch in 2005-08 was not great, with a lot of nervous, wasted energy. They've also suggested it was a factor in not winning the 2007 and 08 Tours.

McEwen in particular said he had to show him how to move up through the peloton and read the movement of the riders in the bunch.

 

[movingtarget]

Not always actually. McEwen and Van Summeren have both said that Evans' positioning in the bunch in 2005-08 was not great, with a lot of nervous, wasted energy. They've also suggested it was a factor in not winning the 2007 and 08 Tours.

McEwen in particular said he had to show him how to move up through the peloton and read the movement of the riders in the bunch.

Maybe but the bigger factors in 2007 and 2008 were missing a split carelessly and losing seconds that cost him the race and then his crash in 2008. Letting the split go instead of reacting immediately when the front group was full of GC riders was a bad mistake.

 

[TomLPC]

Porte's karma has been building up for this day.

Expect 3 separate and wild misfortunes to befall Pogacar, Primoz and Lopez. A Mr. Burns baseball team situation, with Richie as Homer.

"If i want you to do a bike change, I'll touch my belt buckle not once, not twice, but thrice."

 

[Simurgh]

The dramatic finish has overshadowed the fact that Richie has finally gotten the podium spot in the autumn of his career. A podium that has eluded him for so many years. This is a historic (day.)

(forum crash at the time)

 

[roundabout]

just one more day

 

[lenric]

Congrats to Porte, really heartfelt.

Now if he goes to Ineos I imagine he will be their best placed rider in 2020 GTs. Kinda weird.

 

[SafeBet]

This is a rider I've truly ignored for years and years of my life. I couldn't warm up to him, not even when he demolished Willunga Hill time and time again. But this podium feels so well deserved and precious for him that it's making me smile. Well done, Richie.

 

[TomLPC]

I like to think Richie doesn't even know what happened in the GC. He's in his study somewhere, fondly placing his bronze tour medal next to his TDU trophies, grin on his face.

 

[gregrowlerson]

Epic ride from Richie. So happy for him.

 

[ppanther92]

Even if I had money on Lopez top 3, I am happy for Richie. Well done.

 

[KZD]

I know that I have been hard on him in the past but I am quite happy that he proved me wrong. Congratulations Richie.

 

[gregrowlerson]

I've also partly come here because there is no hope in hell in keeping up with the stage thread

 

[LaFlorecita]

So I was kinda distracted by the battle for yellow, but Richie on the podium is probably just as unexpected. Chapeau!

 

[SHAD0W93]

just one more day

One more to hold off his luck. Hopefully he doesn't get hit extra hard pushing his lucj back.

 

[ppanther92]

Also to add on that: I think the level was really high this year (proven by climbing performances) and Porte still manged to get on the podium when many had already written him off and calling him "past it".

 

[Simurgh]

"I am looking forward to helping some younger guys, not having/dealing with pressure[...] I will retire happy [...] I look forward to riding to Paris and seeing my daughter. That (his daughter) is the biggest victory of them all" he says.