BRING up the topic of bitter winds and persistent rain in front of Richie Porte and the Tasmanian will just flash his trademark smile.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
That’s exactly what Porte conquered, not to mention a world class field, when he claimed his first road nationals title in the elite men’s time trial on Thursday.
In doing so the 29-year-old shapes as a clear favourite for Sunday’s Mars Cycling Australia National Road Championships elite men’s road race at Buninyong – which looks almost certain to feature similar conditions
Porte believes he is in the shape of his life after a truly disappointing 2014.
“Anyone who follows cycling would know I had a shocker of a season last year,” the 29-year-old told The Courier.
“I was pretty good here (at the road nationals) and at the Tour Down Under, but that was about it for me – my season finished up at the end of August.”
“I had a couple of months off in Europe, came back here in November and I’ve just been in Tassie training and getting back the pieces.”
If it weren’t for ill-fated health problems and an unflinching loyalty to good friend and Team Sky leader Chris Froome (who recently trained with Porte in Tasmania), Porte would have probably finished on at least one grand tour podium over the past two years.
This year shapes as his defining season and he is using the road nationals as preparation for a tilt at the Giro d’Italia.
The last time trial Porte won was a short, 9.6km version at the 2013 Paris-Nice (in which he took overall honours) and he believes a return to that type of form is what could separate him from others at the Giro in May.
However, nothing would fill the Tasmanian with more confidence than a national jersey earned on the famously gruelling Mount Buninyong circuit.
It’s what he came to Ballarat for, but to avenge last year’s third place behind Simon Gerrans and Cadel Evans, Porte must deliver his second herculean effort in four days.
Gerrans might be missing with a broken collarbone, but Orica-GreenEDGE still looms as the race dictator, and Evans will leave nothing behind in his bid for a green and gold jersey before retiring.
With Evans bringing help in the form of fellow BMC riders Rohan Dennis and Campbell Flakemore, as well as squads like Avanti and Drapac likely to feature heavily, Porte is already on the back foot.
“It’s a shame that Simon Gerrans isn’t here to defend his title and it’s going to change how GreenEDGE ride this race,” he said.
“It’s much more open, it’s going to be very tactical and there’s no big, outstanding favourite.
“Cadel’s big, last sort of farewell will make it interesting – it will be a good race to watch anyway.”
Porte has nominated GreenEDGE riders Cameron Myer, Luke Durbridge and Simon Clarke as danger men, with Will Clarke and Bernard Sulzberger also in the mix.
“It’s a brilliant course and it’s a brilliant day,” he said.
“It’s like riding a stage of the tour up here and I think if it rains half the guys who line up are already defeated.
“It’s a bit weird, these changing temperatures, but everyone’s up for this race and I don’t think it’s going to change the podium,” Porte said.
michael.pollock@fairfaxmedia.com.au
