Richie Porte: Team Sky are 'playing games' when they say I'm the Tour de France favourite
Porte says that behind the scenes Sky will be thinking that Froome will win yellow
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- Sign up to our newsletter Newsletter

With the Tour de France just two days away, Richie Porte (BMC Racing) has dismissed suggestions by Chris Froome and Team Sky that he is the favourite to win the yellow jersey.
Speaking at a pre-race press conference, Porte suggested that his good friend Froome and the rest of Team Sky might not be being entirely honest when they labelled him as the man to beat after he finished second at the Critérium du Dauphiné.
"Sky saying that I'm the favourite is just one of the games that they like to play," said the 32-year-old, who spent four seasons at Team Sky between 2012 and 2015.
"Behind closed doors they think Chris is the guy who will win. He's the defending champion and he's the one with the big target on his back."
In contrast with Froome, who is yet to win a race in 2017, Porte has enjoyed a successful build up to the Tour de France, winning the Tour de Romandie and finishing second at the Dauphiné after losing time to Jakob Fuglsang in an aggressive final stage.
The Australian said he had learned a lot from that race, where he missed out on yellow by 10 seconds after being dropped in aggressive racing early in the stage, but said that he hoped there would be no repeat of that experience come the Tour.
"Mistakes like at the Dauphiné are part of bike racing. We were incredible the day before on Alpe d'Huez, and it's a shame the race panned out like it did.
"You learn from experiences like that, and I've learned that when people gang up on you it's going to make for hard racing. Hopefully nothing like that happens again, but the Tour's a different race - there's always someone interested in going for it."
Watch: Tour de France 2017 preview - stages one to nine
Porte, who has signed a new contract to keep him at BMC Racing for at least another season, also hoped that his time in yellow at the Dauphiné would stand him in good stead for the off-the-bike aspects of the Tour.
"The Dauphiné gave me a taste of wearing the leader's jersey and everything that goes with it," he continued.
"You have to do all the anti-doping stuff and the media protocol, and it does take a bit away from your recovery each day. But it's manageable, and I've got a great team around me to help me deal with that."
>>> Analysis: It's advantage Porte, but Chris Froome has reason for optimism as the Tour approaches
That team, which includes another former Team Sky rider in Nicolas Roche and Olympic champion Greg Van Avermaet, is, according to BMC general manager Jim Ochowicz, the same nine rider who were originally selected in a provisional Tour team at a pre-season training camp in December.
Van Avermaet will be given the opportunity to chase stage wins, but the rest of the team will be solely dedicated to looking after Porte, with Roche saying that the BMC line-up was "at least as strong as Sky" whereas in previous Tours the British team were "by far the best".
Thank you for reading 10 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Henry Robertshaw began his time at Cycling Weekly working with the tech team, writing reviews, buying guides and appearing in videos advising on how to dress for the seasons. He later moved over to the news team, where his work focused on the professional peloton as well as legislation and provision for cycling. He's since moved his career in a new direction, with a role at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
-
-
Bikes of the Atlas Mountain Race 2023: from comfort gravellers to speed weapons, here’s what caught our eye
Covering 1,300km / 800mi of Morocco’s gravel roads and mountain passes, the Atlas Mountain Race demands a tech-heavy approach for its 3+ days of bikepacking racing
By Stefan Abram • Published
-
British champion Cameron Mason hoping for rain at Cyclo-cross World Championships
British national champion says patience will be the key in what’s expected to be a fast race in Hoogerheide, the Netherlands
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
Global backers in talks over new British WorldTour team
Former management of Ribble Weldtite courting interest in new project
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
'I remember the crowds more than anything': Tom Pidcock recalls his Alpe d'Huez Tour de France stage win
Our male rider of the year, Tom Pidcock, talks us through the highs and lows of his 2022 campaign
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
Leo Hayter, Cycling Weekly's rising star of 2022, talks through his season in the spotlight
We caught up with the winner of the "Baby Giro" to hear all about the win in Italy and his dream move to Ineos Grenadiers
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
Ineos Grenadiers release 'visibly fast' 2023 jersey
Navy is replaced with red as British team changes its look
By Adam Becket • Published
-
Where next for Mark Cavendish after B & B Hotels-KTM's collapse?
We look at where the ‘Manx Missile’ could find himself next after the collapse of B & B Hotels-KTM
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
‘It’s a good thing and shows progression of the sport’ - Ben Swift hails changes at British Cycling academy
Ineos Grenadier says putting academy riders in with development teams will encourage development of many skills
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
'I know I can do it so I need to make that next level': Ben Turner signs Ineos Grenadiers contract extension
The Classics and another Grand Tour are on the agenda for Doncaster's Big Ben
By Chris Marshall-Bell • Published
-
Tom Pidcock unsure whether he will defend cyclocross world title in 2023
“I don’t know yet, crossing in the winter and being good in the classics is a difficult combination” Pidcock said
By Tom Thewlis • Published