Why did Porte Stay with Sky?

[nick101]

orica green edge does have cam meyer who climbs alright and could develop into a gc contender? it'd take a least five years for oge to fill itself with a gc team due to outgoing and retiring riders. if porte works for froome like he did last year I doubt top ten will be possible. sky are going into the tour with froome as the only leader so porte won't have the opportunity to do that well

 

[Archibald]

Hmm... maybe the money? Or the fringe benefits. All aces.

see "column B" of this - not likely to benefit from bonuses and winning pots like he would at Sky. Froome would have been bringing in a very considerable amount to the pool...

 

[Jelantik]

before sky, porte is pretty much floundering like a whale. He was fatty fat fat and good, but not good enough. He pretty much like a name rider with no results, but still making the headline.

after sky, his transformation is astronomical. He's lean, mean, stronger and lethal. So clearly, sky's training method, has turned him from jaba the hut to young jedi.

wouldn't you leave even if you playing a second fiddle to Froomeborg? I won't. I would take a good note of my training and how I got there. I would let sky develop me to the fullest, and once I learn to know how I got to that point, I moved to other team.

 

[TubularBills]

see "column B" of this - not likely to benefit from bonuses and winning pots like he would at Sky. Froome would have been bringing in a very considerable amount to the pool...

He's 28. Plenty of time for the superstar contracts.

I'm not sure if It's more appropriate to applaud his patience or his management.

Bright future.

I don't think anyone could disagree with his 'bright', some might say 'glowing', and lucrative future... ?

Burn out young or build a perpetuity?

The latter? Is he worth millions down the road?

 

[maxmartin]

before sky, porte is pretty much floundering like a whale. He was fatty fat fat and good, but not good enough. He pretty much like a name rider with no results, but still making the headline.

after sky, his transformation is astronomical. He's lean, mean, stronger and lethal. So clearly, sky's training method, has turned him from jaba the hut to young jedi.

wouldn't you leave even if you playing a second fiddle to Froomeborg? I won't. I would take a good note of my training and how I got there. I would let sky develop me to the fullest, and once I learn to know how I got to that point, I moved to other team.

you pretty much got everything on point

 

[TubularBills]

before sky, porte is pretty much floundering like a whale. He was fatty fat fat and good, but not good enough. He pretty much like a name rider with no results, but still making the headline.

after sky, his transformation is astronomical. He's lean, mean, stronger and lethal. So clearly, sky's training method, has turned him from jaba the hut to young jedi.

wouldn't you leave even if you playing a second fiddle to Froomeborg? I won't. I would take a good note of my training and how I got there. I would let sky develop me to the fullest, and once I learn to know how I got to that point, I moved to other team.

Foundering like a whale?

Some impressive pre-Sky palmares:

2007

1st Overall Tour of Bright
1st Stages 1 & 2

2008

1st Overall Tour de Perth
1st Stages 2 & 3
1st Overall Tour of Tasmania
1st Stages 7 & 9
1st Stage 2 Tour of Wellington
5th Overall Herald Sun Tour
9th Overall Tour Down Under

2009
1st GP Citta di Felino[1]
1st Stage 2 Giro del Friuli-Venezia-Giulia
1st Stage 4 (ITT) Girobio
3rd National Time Trial Championships
3rd Coppa della Pace
4th Giro Valli Aretine
10th Overall Tour de Langkawi

2010

4th Overall Tour of Britain
4th Overall Eneco Tour
4th World Time Trial Championships
7th Overall Giro d'Italia
1st Young rider classification
Held Jersey held from Stage 11–13
10th Overall Tour de Romandie
1st Stage 3 (ITT)
10th Clásica de San Sebastián

2011

1st Stage 4 (ITT) Vuelta a Castilla y León[N 1]
1st Stage 5 (ITT) Post Danmark Rundt
6th World Time Trial Championships

2012

1st Overall Volta ao Algarve
1st Stage 3
3rd National Road Race Championships[6]
4th Overall Tour de Romandie
4th Overall Bayern-Rundfahrt
9th Overall Critérium du Dauphiné

2013

1st Overall Paris–Nice
1st Stages 5 & 7 (ITT)
2nd Overall Critérium International
1st Points classification
1st Stage 2 (ITT)
2nd Overall Tour of the Basque Country
1st Stage 5
2nd Overall Critérium du Dauphiné
8th Overall Tour de Romandie

 

[bisikletsporu]

I am sure Brailsford has already talked to him and suggested that he might be the leader in one of the GTs (possibly Giro) in 2014. That's quite a motivation. Considering the depth of the SKY squad, even though the main focus will be on the Tour, Porte knows that there will be a good enough team also in the Giro supporting him.

Besides, it is not just about being leader in a Grand Tour. There are several one week stage races, where he will be given a green light. Not that he should be content with these, but something worthwhile to note.

Last but not least, the SKY's training regime seems to be extremely efficient. I don't think many other teams can affords months of training in Tenerife, several Tour, Giro stage recons, extensive wind tunnel testing etc. So riders probably know that they might not get similar "treatment"/training in other teams. This is also a good incentive.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

I think it would be stupid for Porte to leave Sky at this point.

But the cycling world is very fragile, things can easily change in 1-2 years.

 

[Tigerion]

I think a big part of it is he is enjoying being on an English speaking team with people he enjoys riding with.
He has had a large amount of respect for his teammates before but not good friends, so that is an important consideration.

His development has been good at sky, he is still young so taking a couple of years at a team that is improving you rather than jumping out and trying to go GT leader at another team.

With the way Sky are riding he has the potential to podium at a GT as well as getting leadership at some earlier stage races. After all he did just become the 1st Australian to win Paris - Nice. Actually he might consider riding in support of Froome is his best chance at a podium, rather than riding against him on another team. And GT as leader is almost certainly on the cards.

I'm not sure on the chances but with OGE getting confirmed financial backing for 5 years I hold on to a slim hope that he has had a private word and said I'll come ride for OGE if you can put together a team that can support me. I'll give 2 years and then jump across. It's a nice thought

 

[S2Sturges]

Any idea what they are paying their stars? I know the total bill for rider salaries in 2011 were 10-11 million pounds. Be interesting to see if that has changed and how it's distributed.

Read that the annual budget totals around £36 million, so I'd reckon they have a bit to play with, how else did they pay for all those ringers...

 

[karlboss]

Read that the annual budget totals around £36 million, so I'd reckon they have a bit to play with, how else did they pay for all those ringers...

For the team it was 14.6 and 16.7 million pounds respectively in 2010 and 2011. No idea where your 36 comes from.

 

[williamp78]

Sky have developed him into a potential GC candidate at the grand tours. Other teams are still behind sky in regards to training and developing riders (though sky seem to struggle to develop younger riders) and perhaps if he changed teams his level would drop and he'd no longer be a threat at the GTs.

I've said this before; at sky he may reach his peak but still never be a true team leader. Whereas at a smaller team he may be a team leader but not reach the same peak as at sky.

As a super dom at sky he may outperform leaders at other teams.


Of course if he's getting leadership at the giro (and i would assume also ride the tour as was the plan with wiggins) next year then surely thats enough to keep him at sky?

 

[MatParker117]

The more bizarre thing is he cited "he could ride for himself" as the biggest reason he leaving Saxo.

Well he's won two stage races since joining Sky. Much more than he did at Saxo.

 

[MatParker117]

I think a big part of it is he is enjoying being on an English speaking team with people he enjoys riding with.
He has had a large amount of respect for his teammates before but not good friends, so that is an important consideration.

His development has been good at sky, he is still young so taking a couple of years at a team that is improving you rather than jumping out and trying to go GT leader at another team.

With the way Sky are riding he has the potential to podium at a GT as well as getting leadership at some earlier stage races. After all he did just become the 1st Australian to win Paris - Nice. Actually he might consider riding in support of Froome is his best chance at a podium, rather than riding against him on another team. And GT as leader is almost certainly on the cards.

I'm not sure on the chances but with OGE getting confirmed financial backing for 5 years I hold on to a slim hope that he has had a private word and said I'll come ride for OGE if you can put together a team that can support me. I'll give 2 years and then jump across. It's a nice thought

With Goss to keep happy how is that possible?

 

[Pricey_sky]

To cut a long story short it comes down to several reasons as some posters have already said:

1. Big salary - more than most other teams could afford
2. Friendships - he is more than happy to ride alongside others he considers as friends not just team mates.
3. Opportunity this season - becoming the 1st Aussie to win PN and also a big chance of being on the podium thanks to the help of Sky and the extra training/research they provide.
4. Giro next year - the opportunity to win a 1st GT next year in Italy

 

[JRanton]

Strange in the circumstances. One year would have been in his best interests and go from there.

A one year extension would be quite risky for Porte too though. If injury/illness/loss of form/Giro failure strike in 2014 then he's suddenly a far less valuable commodity when contract talks come around. Having said that he would be protected somewhat by his high 2013 sporting value ranking which would still count in 2015.

 

[JRanton]

no I doubt he'll move in a few years. im pretty sure he realises that unless froome doesn't race the tour, he'll never have a shot at winning the tour - being with sky could actually encourage froome to try a giro-vuelta double and allow porte leadership at the tour (with sky's train his chances are increased also). froome and porte are really good friends so froome would be more than happy to let porte be leader for the tour once in the next 7 or 8 years due to the hard work porte does for froome. as for orica green edge, they'd be out of the question because there's no climbers, only sprinters and classics riders

I really doubt that to be honest. Froome has said before that the steep Giro gradients don't suit him and the weather is far from ideal for a tall, very thin rider as we saw with Hesjedal, Wiggins and Gesink in this year's edition.

 

[JRanton]

He finished 34th because he was on the front for 38 stages consecutive.

He could finish top 10. If he tried.

Not sure GE would have a team strong enough for him.

Next year he can win 2 or three one week races and go for the Giro.

Not sure he could beat Nibali though.

But his attack at Paris-Nice was phenomenal. Out of this world. If he can replicate power like that again then he might just drop Nibs etc.

Still don't understand he's reasoning for staying at Sky. If the Columbians stay then the kitchen will be full of Chef's.

Nibali is riding the Tour next year. I agree about Paris-Nice. A lot of people said all of the big guns were at Tirreno, which was true, but other than Froome I don't think anyone else would have beaten Porte given his combined performances on Montagne de Lure and Col d'Eze. If he'd had his Paris-Nice form at the Dauphine then you wouldn't have seen him struggling to hold Froome's wheel on Risoul. They'd have both been charging up to De Marchi.

 

[Tigerion]

With Goss to keep happy how is that possible?

There is more than enough slots on a team to have a sprint train and mountain doms. The trouble will be working out what the team combination is for individual races.
There would be a few slots opening up over the next couple of years with possible retirements (O'grady, tuft, Cooke) so you can recruit into there. Add another couple for people moving teams and you end up with 5 new climbers for the team. Add in the existing support from Meyer, Weening and Albasini and you would have a decent GC squad for him.
They would not be able to field a sky train type squad but a few climbers and the rest to help Goss would work. The alternative is to be a Argos team with no other options than the sprint train.
But Porte + (2 doms)+Meyer+Durbo/tt specialist+Goss+3 for the train would be an ok combination to take to a GC. Goss can still target MSR and the like but OGE have a chance at some of the stage races and have a crack at GTs as well

 

[willbick]

Staying with sky was probably the easiest decision he ever made in his life

 

[greenedge]

Next year he can win 2 or three one week races and go for the Giro.

Not sure he could beat Nibali though.

But his attack at Paris-Nice was phenomenal. Out of this world. If he can replicate power like that again then he might just drop Nibs etc.

I would assume he could just time trial better than him/ limit any losses on bad days (though as someone mentioned above- Nibali is not doing the Giro).

 

[willbick]

His attack on mont lure was hardly 'out of this world'. It was a fine performance for sure but for the last km the chasing group were doing a lot of messing about and 'after you claud's

 

[nick101]

His attack on mont lure was hardly 'out of this world'. It was a fine performance for sure but for the last km the chasing group were doing a lot of messing about and 'after you claud's

not sure if they were messing round, none seemed to have the ability to chase him down but menchov did close down a lot of time on him in the final km. if the main gc guys weren't at tirreno then it would've been different and the attack would've been chased down quickly. also of note on the same climb, in 2009 contadors attack was much bigger, and the gap was closed down quickly as the the main gc guys were at paris-nice that year.

as for nibali vs porte, nibali has shown himself to be a slightly better tt'r and a similar climber as porte. plus nibali seems to perform better than porte on steeper gradients ( he beat uran on both tre cimi laverado and jafferau, and uran climbs better than porte.)

 

[Ruudz0r]

not sure if they were messing round, none seemed to have the ability to chase him down but menchov did close down a lot of time on him in the final km. if the main gc guys weren't at tirreno then it would've been different and the attack would've been chased down quickly. also of note on the same climb, in 2009 contadors attack was much bigger, and the gap was closed down quickly as the the main gc guys were at paris-nice that year.

as for nibali vs porte, nibali has shown himself to be a slightly better tt'r and a similar climber as porte. plus nibali seems to perform better than porte on steeper gradients ( he beat uran on both tre cimi laverado and jafferau, and uran climbs better than porte.)

Menchov did not take back any time in the last km.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ON1vYP_oiXc

Porte passes the 1K to go banner at 8.29, Menchov at 8.40 and the gap at the finish is. Menchov finishes 26-27 seconds behind.

And dont know where you got your Nibali has a better TT then Porte from but I totally disagree with that aswell. But Nibali wont be riding the Giro anyway.

 

[Ferminal]

I'm more worried about Nibali being a better TT'er.