Richie Porte - what do we know about him?

[Don't be late Pedro]

Dial the conspiracy theories way back for a minute.

I thought you were all about the conspiracy theories?

 

[darwin553]

You said second in the Vuelta but didn't list Froome!

You sound like old Liggett tonight with his 'Richie Froome.' Come on, you've at least gotta try and keep a straight face whilst making this stuff up!

Probably shouldn't have expected you to realise who I was talking about. I'll make it easier for you next time. Not only will I use their surnames but I'll use their christian names too

 

[Bratam]

We get it. Australians don't dope. Neither did Evans when he was seeing Ferrari or when he came 8th in the 05 Tour against 30 or more super doped up riders. Gotcha.

You need to get your facts straight about Evans seeing Ferrari for one day in early 2001 under the order of his coach. Try and talk facts and don't make stuff up. Suggest you do some more research.

 

[taiwan]

"Richie son, you overdid it yesterday. You're going to have a bad day today."
"But I feel 100%!"
"Lol, no, son. You're going to have a bad day today."

 

[hrotha]

Porte must have been promised leadership for two GTs next year then.

 

[gthx_gthx_]

Froome explained it all in an interview after the stage , they (his teammates) have been riding really hard for 8 days now , it's normal now that they feel exhausted.

Nothing surprising here.

 

[whittashau]

You need to get your facts straight about Evans seeing Ferrari for one day in early 2001 under the order of his coach. Try and talk facts and don't make stuff up. Suggest you do some more research.

Oh wow. Really? I suggest you open your eyes. I like Cadel, but he rode well in an era where you couldn't get results without some special help

or hey, how about some numbers since apparently I haven't done my research:

Cadel Evans _________ AUS | 40:15 | 2006

Cadel Evans _________ AUS | 41:47 | 2008

Cadel Evans _________ AUS | 42:07 | 2011

Alpe d'Huez times. I could do a few more examples of how a clean Cadel differs from the Cadel that rode during the Armstrong era. Should I continue, or is it hitting home now?

 

[hrotha]

Froome explained it all in an interview after the stage , they (his teammates) have been riding really hard for 8 days now , it's normal now that they feel exhausted.

Nothing surprising here.

Today was too much, even though Porte exploded early in the stage, after not having pulled for that long. He was too tired. Despite this, the whole team and then Porte himself buried themselves to close the gap. But yesterday, why, yesterday Porte was still fresh as a daisy! They had only been riding hard for 7 days, after all. Makes a world of difference.

Maybe the only true difference was that Kennaugh didn't crash yesterday.

 

[Don't be late Pedro]

Oh wow. Really? I suggest you open your eyes. I like Cadel, but he rode well in an era where you couldn't get results without some special help

or hey, how about some numbers since apparently I haven't done my research:

Cadel Evans _________ AUS | 40:15 | 2006

Cadel Evans _________ AUS | 41:47 | 2008

Cadel Evans _________ AUS | 42:07 | 2011

Alpe d'Huez times. I could do a few more examples of how a clean Cadel differs from the Cadel that rode during the Armstrong era. Should I continue, or is it hitting home now?

To be fair in 2011 he only needed to follow Andy rather than attack anywhere.

 

[delbified]

so even when Richie doesn't perform well, he's still doping, because it means he's trying to cover up his suspicious performances?

right... just a second will you? "nurse, bring the medicines.. no, the stronger ones"

 

[taiwan]

Froome explained it all in an interview after the stage , they (his teammates) have been riding really hard for 8 days now , it's normal now that they feel exhausted.

Nothing surprising here.

Nah Porte won't have been working on the flat. Superdomestique. Saved for the elite groups when they form.

 

[BYOP88]

so even when Richie doesn't perform well, he's still doping, because it means he's trying to cover up his suspicious performances?

right... just a second will you? "nurse, bring the medicines.. no, the stronger ones"

Discovery Channel stage 8 2005 TDF. I guess they were all clean too?

 

[Alphabet]

There's nothing to suggest that dopers are immune from bad days (not that I'm saying this was a bad day, it clearly wasn't). Ullrich on Les Deux Alpes springs to mind. As too does Contador, to a lesser extent, on the Galibier in 2011, and of course Landis in 2006.

 

[lemoogle]

so even when Richie doesn't perform well, he's still doping, because it means he's trying to cover up his suspicious performances?

right... just a second will you? "nurse, bring the medicines.. no, the stronger ones"

Porte dropped the entire field yesterday smiling looking crazy fresh and talking about how they're going to put more time into people the next day.

The next day he suddenly cant ride at all?
Also, very good time for sky to pretend like they're giving their all chasing to get porte back in the main group when tomorrow is a rest day.

 

[kingjr]

There's nothing to suggest that dopers are immune from bad days (not that I'm saying this was a bad day, it clearly wasn't). Ullrich on Les Deux Alpes springs to mind. As too does Contador, to a lesser extent, on the Galibier in 2011, and of course Landis in 2006.

You are sure Contador was doped in 2011?

 

[Alphabet]

I think so. 5th place in the Tour, with that mammoth attack on stage 19 and a great TT performance the day after that; all after dominating a Giro so tough that riders were still drained at the Vuelta months later, it isn't something a clean rider would be able to do.

 

[Don't be late Pedro]

Porte dropped the entire field yesterday smiling looking crazy fresh and talking about how they're going to put more time into people the next day.

The next day he suddenly cant ride at all?
Also, very good time for sky to pretend like they're giving their all chasing to get porte back in the main group when tomorrow is a rest day.

Did they also pretend to make Kiri miss the cut off time?

 

[Don't be late Pedro]

Probably paid Ryder to ride PK into the ditch as well, no?

 

[hfer07]

"Richie son, you overdid it yesterday. You're going to have a bad day today."
"But I feel 100%!"
"Lol, no, son. You're going to have a bad day today."

exactly

BTW- he may have had a bad day-but he ain't done: With 2 ITT to come, he can go full genius with Froome doing the 1-2 on both & on Alpe d'huez can be unleashed & climb back up to top 5.......

common Richie- Sky needs the 1-2 once more!!!

 

[Cervelo77]

As far as theories go the "Porte should lose time because that will cast less suspicion on Sky" one doesn't hold much water. You think Sky wanted to isolate Froome with no support where a mechanical means he loses the tour (or at least the jersey)? Odd theory, very odd.
Maybe Richie was just ****ed Froome didn't allow him to take the stage yesterday. More drama in that. Let's talk about that.

 

[lemoogle]

Did they also pretend to make Kiri miss the cut off time?

Oh I missed that! wow.
Well I was simply expressing that it was suspicious that Porte could look so fresh and suddenly not.

 

[JimPanzen]

They way Porte cracked today makes things even more suspicious. Maybe some bad side effects.

 

[gthx_gthx_]

Today was too much, even though Porte exploded early in the stage, after not having pulled for that long. He was too tired. Despite this, the whole team and then Porte himself buried themselves to close the gap. But yesterday, why, yesterday Porte was still fresh as a daisy! They had only been riding hard for 7 days, after all. Makes a world of difference.

Maybe the only true difference was that Kennaugh didn't crash yesterday.

Indeed I agree with you here. In fact when Froome said it's normal i read it (perhaps wrongly) as : it's all going according to our script.

Well surely Porte has to come with an explanation for his bad day ?? Or did he just woke up this morning feeling like 2010 ?

 

[Fatclimber]

Arhh...the ultimate conspiracy - cover all bases. Just when there is some undue attention for possible doping, direct a GC contender to take a dive. All too convenient to come up witj for my liking. Keep digging, you will see China soon.

And yet another US Postal comparison can be made. I can't remember what year it was when the silliness was getting out of control and the riders flushed their BB's before the race was over. No, there are no conspiracies in cycling or any other sport. We dug through China years ago while you were sleeping.

 

[Don't be late Pedro]

Oh I missed that! wow.
Well I was simply expressing that it was suspicious that Porte could look so fresh and suddenly not.

The thing is that dopers and non-dopers crack. There is not always a hidden agenda. i.e. They want to try and appear fallible or they had a dodgy BB. Sometimes people just crack.

As someone mentioned I very much doubt the plan was to isolate Froome such that a mechanical could kill Sky's Tour.