Sky signs Richie Porte

"In Richie Porte, Team Sky have acquired one of the world's most gifted riders and we are thrilled to have him on the team," said team principle Dave Brailsford. "Richie is a rider that has everything - not only is he right up there with the best time triallers in the world, he can also climb and is not afraid to suffer when he is told to work for someone else either."

Porte first shot to prominence when as a neo-pro he won the time trial at last year's Tour of Romandie. He then lead the Giro d'Italia for three stages and finished seventh overall.

In what was something of a mass exodus, Porte desperately tried to leave Saxo Bank at the end of last season but Bjarne Riis held him to his contract. 

This year he's largely worked as a domestique for Alberto Contador at the Giro and the Tour. However he also won a time trial stage of the Tour of Denmark and performed well against the clock in

Paris-Nice, Castilla y Leon and the Tour de Romandy.

"I had two great years at Saxo Bank-Sungard, and will be forever grateful to them for giving me my chance in the professional ranks, but am looking forward to opening this next chapter of my career now and hopefully taking things to another level," said Porte.

"I'll be targeting the week-long stage races initially, although it would be nice in the future to lead the team in a Grand Tour. My time trialling is another area I want to focus on, and having guys in the team like Bradley Wiggins and Michael Rogers will help me no end and I'll be looking to learn as much as I can from them."

Sky have also recently announced the signings of Luke Rowe (GBr), Sergio Luis Henao (Col) and Salavatore Puccio (Ita) for next season.  

See the Cycling Weekly Transfer Index for other recent toing-and-froings.