Richie Porte - what do we know about him?

[Galic Ho]

fyi, on the previous pages your point got completely taken apart.
basically there's nothing left of your point, regardless how well porte rides this year.

I think we must have different interpretations of what constitutes a half decent rebuttal of an argument. So to you mind even if Porte podiums the TdF that would still be evidence of Sky having a superior doping regime as alleged by many in the clinic? Even if all evidence pointed to the contrary?

The point of my repost was to indicate that this was yet another significant landmark in uncovering that evidence and putting forward the alternative scenario that Sky's domestiques are strongest because they pay the most and hire the best. In that scenario, any assumption that Porte is doping, across multiple teams and producing a similar standard becomes highly questionable.

not sure what your point is wrt Porte, tbh.
you think he was ever clean?
well look at his palmares in '08 (australia) and '09 (italy) and think twice.

Porte here pictured with his self-declared hero and mentor, proven doper Andrea Tafi.

Porte is now with Tafi's buddy Max Sciandri at BMC, Sciandri of course the co-founder of BC's u-23 setup in Quarrata, Tuscany, in 2005/6.
Don't wanna burst anyone's bubble, but this is one incestuous lot of dopers and facilitators, and Porte's been right there in the center of the action.
(On a side, guess who Dave and Max turned to when they needed help to get settled in Tuscany? Indeed, AIS's Shane Bannan. Introduced them straight to Sassi.)

LRP looks about 10lbs heavier there, not too L in LRP

He looks like he is sub 60kg now. I'd say 58kg...way too light for his frame. He use to be around 65kg...at least that's how heavy he looked. Very thin now.

It's helping irrespective of what else goes on.

 

[DirtyWorks]

Whatever you think of Richie, he is flat out the unluckiest rider I've even seen. The Giro last year. The flat tire in this Tour, and now this. He was ahead of Froome, putting major time in Quintana and his other rivals, about to shoot up the GC, and now all that's gone.

+1. He was riding so well today. He needs an amazing TT tomorrow.

 

[Catwhoorg]

Richie is certainly looking more like a leader for BMC than TJVG.

 

[Fergoose]

I have no idea if Porte was ever clean, what I do know is that he is riding better than he ever has at the Dauphine and now at the TdF and that he is doing this after leaving Sky. I think it is perfectly reasonable to draw conclusions about any possible doping programmes at BMC and Sky by looking at his results before and after his move. Those who say that his performances this season are irrelevant to doping discussion would likely have been the first to jump up and cry foul if Porte's form had dived after leaving Sky. I myself would have raised an eyebrow if that had happened.

Personally I've never seen a single performance by Porte at the TdF up until last year that has made me rule out that he could simply have been the world's best domestique at Sky, with a salary to match and that he should have been more ambitious and aimed to be a team leader elsewhere. Nothing I've seen this year changes that opinion.

This year, riding along with Froome and arguably having half a bike length on him at the time of the crash today are the most suspicious Portr performances yet in a TdF, although getting chased down by Mollema reduces my concerns. Although the classifications suggest otherwise I don't think anyone watching the race would consider that Porte would be outside the top three strongest riders at this years TdF. For that reason alone it is probably healthy to be sceptical but personally I have Porte way down the list of dubious performers over the past few years.

 

[Saint Unix]

Ax-3-Domaines and Pierre St. Martin are by far the most suspicious LRP performances so far. Doing the last pull before Froome's attack and then riding away from everyone and passing Quintana along the way on both climbs.

Is anyone seriously buying that?

 

[Fergoose]

But we are seeing the distinct possibility now that both those attacks were by the second or third strongest GC rider in recent years. So yes, I potentially buy those performances.

I don't buy Froome or anyone finishing infront if him if it is a critical stage in the TdF and he simply cannot afford to lose time. Sadly we were denied seeing if Porte could have done that today and given his crash I doubt he'll be in top form for the rest of the race.

 

[El Pistolero]

Re:

But we are seeing the distinct possibility now that both those attacks were by the second or third strongest GC rider in recent years. So yes, I potentially buy those performances.

I don't buy Froome or anyone finishing infront if him if it is a critical stage in the TdF and he simply cannot afford to lose time. Sadly we were denied seeing if Porte could have done that today and given his crash I doubt he'll be in top form for the rest of the race.

Second strongest GC rider yet he has won jack *** in his career? I don't buy that lol. Only has one win as well this year.

 

[sniper]

Fergoose. Your point is well taken, but it's all over the place.
There are so many precedents of cyclists performing better or equally good for their new team.
Since when is that evidence of cleanliness?
Sure, he may not be the most suspicious or most obvious among the full *** dopers.
But Porte's team history and palmares make his case an absolute nobrainer.

 

[Saint Unix]

Porte going from Riis's team to Sky to Ochowicz's team is like Hamilton going from Bruyneel's team to Riis's team to Phonak and keeping up his performance level.

The sport is dirty. The Porte is dirty.

 

[thehog]

Re:

Porte going from Riis's team to Sky to Ochowicz's team is like Hamilton going from Bruyneel's team to Riis's team to Phonak and keeping up his performance level.

The sport is dirty. The Porte is dirty.

Perhaps Porte forgot to turn of the motor and that's the reason he went into the back of the moto?

 

[Fergoose]

Re:

Fergoose. Your point is well taken, but it's all over the place.
There are so many precedents of cyclists performing better or equally good for their new team.
Since when is that evidence of cleanliness?
Sure, he may not be the most suspicious or most obvious among the full *** dopers.
But Porte's team history and palmares make his case an absolute nobrainer.

It may be that my points about Porte sit better in the Sky thread where allegations abound that Sky dope better/more than other teams and are protected by authorities because the team is British. Porte's performances are completely casting doubt on those suggestions.

 

[Saint Unix]

Porte is protected pretty much no matter what. What signals will a positive test send?

Three options there:
1) His performance levels go down, Porte is popped. Immediate question becomes: "How f**king good is the stuff at Sky?!"
2) His performance levels stay the same, Porte is popped. As good as at Sky, must've been doping at Sky too.
3) His performances get better at BMC and he gets popped. Sky can claim innocence, but will potentially lose out on Tour wins to the nuclear Porte.

Option 3) is hugely unlikely in my eyes, since I consider him to already be doped to his maximum capacity, just like the other GC guys. The other two immediately implicate Sky. If LRP ever trips up, I expect Cookson to get a phone call and a nice little wad of extra money to spend on Christmas gifts, courtesy of Santa Brailsford.

 

[msjett]

Meh doped or not Porte will find away to lose...the aussie press make out that he is the next Cadel.....sorry but he isn't and will never be.....

 

[leftover pie]

Re:

Meh doped or not Porte will find away to lose...the aussie press make out that he is the next Cadel.....sorry but he isn't and will never be.....

he's gotta work on his race smarts, for all that attacking he did on the other stage where it was raining at the end he lost 2 seconds, sure it's only 2 seconds, but shows there's still a bit of room in his arsenal for more experience.

 

[blackcat]

#LRP #ftw

 

[Cookster15]

Re:

Meh doped or not Porte will find away to lose...the aussie press make out that he is the next Cadel.....sorry but he isn't and will never be.....

I've been let down by Porte or his bad luck too many times to back him this year. But gee he was climbing good before the crash. Real good. Not Cadel at his best good (Galibier) but if he doesn't fade might have to reassess that by late in the Alpes. Never be? Maybe not - a TdF, WC and sprinkling of GT Podiums and Classics (FW) wins probably won't be topped by Porte. We will know more after the TT about his recovery and if the crash knocked him physically or mentally. 3rd week starts after Monday's rest day. Doping? Maybe but not doing anything more than anyone else going for GC. He's not with Sky remember. As someone else pointed out he's obviously trimmed down some Kg in recent years and if he stays healthy that will obviously assist climbing and even recovery.

 

[movingtarget]

Re:

Meh doped or not Porte will find away to lose...the aussie press make out that he is the next Cadel.....sorry but he isn't and will never be.....

Don't forget that Cadel was accused of the same thing for quite a while : finding ways to lose. Aussie media is just hopeful, nothing more.

 

[Night Rider]

Re: Re:

Meh doped or not Porte will find away to lose...the aussie press make out that he is the next Cadel.....sorry but he isn't and will never be.....

Don't forget that Cadel was accused of the same thing for quite a while : finding ways to lose. Aussie media is just hopeful, nothing more.

Some did accuse him of that but the difference is Cadel had runs on the board by way of several podium places. While there was a chance Cadel may not have ever won there was certainly a chance he would win as well.

little RP will never win the Tour. He would be incredibly lucky to ever podium

 

[msjett]

It was interesting to see that of the three that crashed together on Mt Ventoux, he came off the worse....probably cause he hit the moto then it was stacks on top of him...he almost had a human like TT yesterday.

Hope it gives him fire in the belly to get on and attack the crap out of the race, TJVG is higher up in the GC which might give him options...

Time will tell what LRP does in this race and other races, but I just can't see it being a win or a podium in a 3 week race....I would like to be proven wrong.

 

[movingtarget]

Re:

It was interesting to see that of the three that crashed together on Mt Ventoux, he came off the worse....probably cause he hit the moto then it was stacks on top of him...he almost had a human like TT yesterday.

Hope it gives him fire in the belly to get on and attack the crap out of the race, TJVG is higher up in the GC which might give him options...

Time will tell what LRP does in this race and other races, but I just can't see it being a win or a podium in a 3 week race....I would like to be proven wrong.

Yes it would be nice to see a comeback of sorts when many people expect him to go backwards or hope he does. His climbing has been solid so far. If that continues he can still move further up the GC.

 

[thehog]

6.1w p/kg for 30minutes is impressive :surprised:

#TDF  Stage17 MTF Emosson (10,4km, 8,4%) Richie P. 62kg 30'20" [DrF]=380W, 6,1W/kg , VAM 1734m/h, Training ride with his buddy Chris F.

 

[SeriousSam]

You'd expect nothing less from the Madone Record Holder

 

[thehog]

Re:

You'd expect nothing less from the Madone Record Holder

Its serious wattage in week 3, on a very hot day.

Froome and Porte are in the "zone".

 

[Cookster15]

Re:

Time will tell what LRP does in this race and other races, but I just can't see it being a win or a podium in a 3 week race....I would like to be proven wrong.

So far he's on track to prove you wrong. But he still has some time to make up on those ahead of him on GC. Best thing about Porte is he hasn't shown any signs of his bad day. He has been the only rider who has consistently been able to stay with Froome on MTFs. Hopefully it stays that way whether he can grab a podium or not. Good for his self belief. Pity for the time he lost in crashes.

Since this is the Clinic one thing I will state is Porte's performance at BMC kind of diminishes the arguments about Sky. Right now LRP is riding at least as well as 2013 and he hasn't cracked. Any conspiracy theories that the UCI are happy for an Antipodean to do well or is that being "allowed" just to take suspicion away from the Skybots?

 

[Benotti69]

Re: Re:

Time will tell what LRP does in this race and other races, but I just can't see it being a win or a podium in a 3 week race....I would like to be proven wrong.

So far he's on track to prove you wrong. But he still has some time to make up on those ahead of him on GC. Best thing about Porte is he hasn't shown any signs of his bad day. He has been the only rider who has consistently been able to stay with Froome on MTFs. Hopefully it stays that way whether he can grab a podium or not. Good for his self belief. Pity for the time he lost in crashes.

Since this is the Clinic one thing I will state is Porte's performance at BMC kind of diminishes the arguments about Sky. Right now LRP is riding at least as well as 2013 and he hasn't cracked. Any conspiracy theories that the UCI are happy for an Antipodean to do well or is that being "allowed" just to take suspicion away from the Skybots?

Some hard days ahead.