Richie Porte, two days before he begins his attempt at the overall Tour de France title, has extended his contract with BMC Racing beyond the 2017 season.

The Australian joined the American WorldTour team at the start of the 2016 season from Team Sky, and has since become their strongest general classification rider.

Porte took fifth overall at the Tour de France in his first year with the team, but has had a stellar year so far in 2017, winning the Tour Down Under and Tour de Romandie overall as well as second place in the Critérium du Dauphiné in June after letting his lead slip to Jakob Fuglsang on the final day.

The 32-year-old has also delivered five stage wins in WorldTour races through the year, including at Paris-Nice after slipping out of overall contention in the bad weather of the opening stages.

BMC, citing team policy, would not reveal the length of the contract Porte has signed, but he will certainly continue with squad through to the end of 2018.

“I have really enjoyed my first two years with BMC Racing Team so it was a natural decision to extend my contract,” Porte said in a statement.

“We are on the eve of the biggest race of the year, and my biggest goal of the season, and I feel at home with my teammates and the management and staff.

“I have raced with a few teams throughout the years and I definitely think BMC Racing Team is the right fit at this point in my career as I try to win the Tour de France.

“I’ve had a great first half of the season and I think my results are a reflection of the way the team has created a really good training and racing environment for me,” Porte continued.

“Things like having training camps at home in Monaco and building a core group of team-mates around me from the first race of the year in Australia have really helped me.

“Whatever happens over the next three weeks, I’m looking forward to keeping the BMC Racing Team jersey on my back beyond the end of the season.”