Richie Porte Discussion Thread.

[LaFlorecita]

"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.

I completely forgot about the birth of his daughter. Damn, tomorrow will be emotional for him

 

[Rollthedice]

Never too late to show some respect for the man. Good job Richie!

 

[Ripper]

Great race!

 

[movingtarget]

Can't believe Richie beat Lopez by almost five minutes !

 

[Forever The Best]

Great job once again. Now only one stage left.

 

[yaco]

Posted years ago that if the stars aligned Porte could podium a GT - Actually the COVID break helped his performance with him having less racing days.

 

[sir fly]

Great Tour for Richie.
Deserved everything he achieved.

Underappreciated athlete here.

 

[Breezy1985]

He could still crash tomorrow knowing him

 

[movingtarget]

He could still crash tomorrow knowing him

Stop with the negative vibes man............just be happy for him.............the planets have finally aligned..............

 

[hrotha]

I'm actually glad that Porte is going to podium. I'm shocked.

 

[Forever The Best]

Me too. Never thought I would root for him to finish 3rd in a GT.

 

[kingjr]

So happy for him. And boy did he earn it, what a great effort up that climb.

 

[F_Cance]

He really deserved a GT podium and this year he earned it. Thought he would ride for 7th-10th but luckily i was wrong.
Great job LRP

 

[oldcrank]

As Bob Dylan famously sang "Things have changed." Will we see Egan as a super-dom for Richie at the 2021 Tour?

 

[Cookster15]

Gosh I can hardly believe this. So happy for Richie, thoroughly deserved after all his bad luck and problems over the years.

Congratulations to him he must be in such a good place also with the birth of his first child very recently. Congrats to Trek for investing in Richie too they deserve kudos.

But after today some will wonder what might have been in previous years. I honestly think he was stronger in 2017 when he crashed out.

 

[Cookster15]

Posted years ago that if the stars aligned Porte could podium a GT - Actually the COVID break helped his performance with him having less racing days.

This. You are so right. I still think he was at least similar level when he fell off in 2017. But what struck me this year was he seemed very relaxed. He had a great frame of mind and felt no pressure and look what happened!

 

[Cookster15]

Can't believe Richie beat Lopez by almost five minutes !

I posted yesterday that López can have shocker TTs sometimes but that was in hope not expectation. Maybe MAL paid for his efforts a few days ago.

 

[Pricey_sky]

Really happy for Porte to finally get his podium, he rode a smart race, couldn’t really live with Pog and Rog, but didn’t have his usual bad day and kept fighting.

Interesting to read he’s happy to go back to being a super-Dom next season.

 

[memyselfandI]

As Bob Dylan famously sang "Things have changed." Will we see Egan as a super-dom for Richie at the 2021 Tour?

Best kept secret: He's going to UAE riding for Pogi. Pogi's getting 20x salary rise, Porte only 10x..

But thumbs up everybody, slippy bumpy cobbles coming up tomorrow. It's never over until it's over: There's a slight chance of rain tomorrow.

 

[sienna]

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

Don't worry. He's copped criticism from many over the years.

 

[Cookster15]

I'm actually glad that Porte is going to podium. I'm shocked.

I don't know why anyone should be shocked. Surprised maybe but not shocked.

I can understand people's views on Porte if they don't follow him very closely. I'd probably have a similar view. But those of us who did follow him closely knew today's and this Tour's performance was within his capability.

A few doubts that have been answered:

Good on short climbs but not long climbs: Answered many times since 2013.
Can't last three weeks: Answered in 2016 TdF
Always has a bad day: Answered in 2016 TdF
Lacks mental confidence: Answered in 2020

For sure as others have posted in recent days the difference this time is between the ears. Physically he was always capable. If he had this level at 35 years of age then of course he was even more capable when he was a little younger. I don't think he felt much pressure this year.

Covid was a blessing in disguise but really what we saw today should show that people were right to rate him a genuine threat in 2017 when he crashed on Mont du chat. Probably 2018 too when he stuffed up again.

 

[hrotha]

I don't know why anyone should be shocked. Surprised maybe but not shocked.

I can understand people's views on Porte if they don't follow him very closely. I'd probably have a similar view. But those of us who did follow him closely knew today's and this Tour's performance was within his capability.

No, I mean, I'm shocked that I'm glad.

 

[Cookster15]

No, I mean, I'm shocked that I'm glad.

All good. .

 

[Scarponi]

He really deserved a GT podium and this year he earned it. Thought he would ride for 7th-10th but luckily i was wrong.
Great job LRP

He rode a 7th-10th race but had the legs of 3rd or 4th

 

[movingtarget]

Gosh I can hardly believe this. So happy for Richie, thoroughly deserved after all his bad luck and problems over the years.

Congratulations to him he must be in such a good place also with the birth of his first child very recently. Congrats to Trek for investing in Richie too they deserve kudos.

But after today some will wonder what might have been in previous years. I honestly think he was stronger in 2017 when he crashed out.

Second child I think. Cadel was also on SBS yesterday with a new child. Seems very happy. Had some interesting things to say about the race and TT preparation. Good to see he contacted Richie to wish him luck before the TT.