Random Post about Richie Porte:

Finally,here's the last post of the "New Saxo Bank Pro Riders Series,2010 edition" series.This time I'm going to talk about Richard Julian Porte,considered by many people one of the best neo pro-riders who will make their debut in professional Cycledom this year.It took me about 2 hours and a half to collect information about Jaroslaw and Jorgensen in order to write 2 decent posts about them,but luckily finding information about Porte wasn't that difficult.
First of all,Richie was born on 30th January 1985 in Launceston,Tasmania.He's 172 cms tall and wrights 62 kgs.The surprising thing about Richie is that he took up cycling just 4 years ago,after racing for a lot of years in the thriatlon world.
In 2006,his first season as a cyclist,Richard managed to arrive 3rd in a stage of the Tour of Murray River,an Australian small race.In 2007 he got his first victories by winning 2 stages and the final GC at the Tour of Bright.
In 2008,after getting a 9th place in the Tour Down Under GC,Richie moved to team Mastromarco, an Italian squad directed by former pro-rider Andrea Tafi.In that year he won the Tour of Perth,2 stages and the GC at the Tour of Tasmania and got a 5th place in the final GC of the Herald Sun Tour.
2009 was Richie's breakout year,since he won the second stage of the Giro del Friuli Venezia Giulia,the 4th stage (a TT) at the "Baby-Giro",the first stage of the Giro delle Valli Cuneesi nelle Alpi del Mare and the GP Città di Fellino.As well as that,last season Richie came in 3rd in the Australian Elite RR Championship.
In his career,Richie has raced for Tasmanian tream Praties until 2007,for team Mastromarco in 2008 and for Team Bedogni-Grassi in 2009.
Last year,Richie's most important victory was a TT in the Giro-Bio,in which he defeated for just 0.01 seconds Adriano Malori.Another important victory for Richie was the one he got in Città del Fellino (http://www.cusparma.it/cgi-bin/Allegati/attivitaSportive/vaq1Uhg66N_1254.pdf for more information about the race),a victory that unfortunately was spoiled by the death of the young Ukrainian rider Oleksandr Shapoval few hours after the end of the race.
Since there are lots of good interviews with Richie around the net,here is one of them.Enjoy!

Richard Julian “Richie” Porte has been one of the best riders who live in Italy for some time now.He’s a very good cyclist from Australia,but just few people know his story.
Born on 30-1-1985 in Launceston,Tasmania,the country of the famous “Tasmanian Devil”,Richie used to swim and take part in triathlon races with very good results before of choosing to take up cycling in 2006.In just 3 years time,Richie has become one of the most interesting Australian young riders.After winning 18 races in 2 years in his country,Richie moved to Italy in May 2007 thanks to the unlucky Daniele Tamberi,a team manager and former cyclist who gave him a place inside of the team Gruppo Lupi-Sammarinese,whose training center is in Chiesina Uzzanese (Tuscany) and where Richie could join his friend Cameron Wurf,another Australian rider.Few days after arriving in Italy,Richie got his first victory in Tuscany by winning a very hard race,the San Donato in Fronzato.
In 2008 then he moved (not without polemics) to the GS Mastromarco-Chianti Sensi team. Andrea Tafi,who was looking for young talents to ride on the team,decided to give him a place in the squad and soon Richie got 10 victories.Between his most important victories there are the GP Cerreto Guidi,2 stages and the final GC of the Tasmanian Tour.Richie managed to get these victories in spite of breaking his pelvis.In fact there was an accident near to the finish-line of the Parma-La Spezia race,accident in which a team car guided by the former pro Piotr Ugrumov played an important role.
In 2009 Richie changed team again (also this time his transfer caused some polemics) and started to race for the glorious team Monsummanese-Grassi-Sergio Natalini-Bedogni.With the new jersey Richie won some nice races,like the TT stage at the GiroBio (on that occasion he rode better than the World Champion Adriano Malori) and the international GP Città di Fellino.
Complete athlete,not very tall,intelligent and with a big tactic sense,Porte can get excellent results in hard mountain races and also in time trials competitions.
To allow his new tifosi to know him better,we met him for an interview during the Monsummanese training camp.

So Richie,talk us about your family.How did you take up cycling?
My parents' names are Ian and Penny and they've never been cyclists.I’ve got 3 brothers: Nick,who’s 29 years old,Kieran,26,and Tom who is 21 and is a very strong swimmer and runner,although he‘s got a characteristic that is very bad for athletes: he beloves beer! I took up cycling in April 2006 and in my first race (the Tour of Canberra) I arrived 15 minutes after the other riders.But anyway it was a useful esperience.

Why did you choose cycling?
The truth is that I started to be fed up with triathlon,I didn’t have any motivation left.I was looking for something that could give me new feelings and I think I made the right decision when I choose to take up cycling,because it is a hard but wonderful sport,that I love every day more.
When did you get your first victory?
In may 2006,in a local race in Launceston.
You’ve been living in Tuscany, (in Monsummano Terme) for a while now.What do you like of Italy? What do you dislike?
The country landscapes in Tuscany are incredible and almost unique: in Australia they envy me because I can live in this area,which is often considered one of the best place where to go on holiday in Italy.Then I love Ice-cream and Italian food.My perfect menu is formed by watermelon,ravioli al burro,pizza margherita and tiramisu.There are 2 things that I dislike about Italy: the beer and the traffic.The second one is always so chaotic! I come across lots of bad drivers every day and I’m terrified by them.I think they’re the worst drivers in the world, sometimes they are true criminals.
Have you got any point of reference in cycling?
Of course I have.One reference point is my friend Brett Lancaster,who lives in Monsummano and that often trains with me.Then there is Michael Wilson,who suggested me coming to live in Italy after seeing me racing in Tasmania.I really like the way Davide Cassani speaks during the broadcasts of the races on tv,since he’s smart,quiet and expert.I also admire a lot Damiano Cunego,he's a great athlete and a very positive model for young riders because he's been able to send out strong messages against doping.
Do you miss Australia?
No,I like living Tuscany and the poor Daniele Tamberi,with his family,has always helped me to win homesickness.Also the ds Carlo Franceschi behaved as a father with me,even if he had to give a lot of time to Vincenzo Nibali as well.This year in Monsummanese team I found an ideal group of people,with amazing guys like Giacomo Pasqui,Beppe Trinci,Andrea Tafi and Paolo De Geronimo,the owner of the bike-shop Cicli Banzai in Castelmartini di Larciano.Then I immediately got on with my teammates,Mucelli,Lasca,Quintero and all the other ones.We're a true family and results demonstrate it.
What's your favourite training parcours?
I like training on the Appennino tosco-emiliano,between Pistoia and Bologna.It is a 210 kms route that go from Monsummano to San Baronto,Pistoia,the Collina climb, Porretta, Fanano, Sestola,Pievepelago,Abetone,Prunetta,Montecatini and finally ends in Monsummano.This year I rode that parcours about 10 times with my friend Brett Lancaster.
Have you got any other interest outside cycling?
I love motorbike racing and I support Casey Stoner,although I have to admit that Valentino Rossi is unique and that his charisma made this sport become incredibly popular.I don't like F1 and I don't support Webber,even if he's Australian.I find the races boring and I don't like the organisation.
What would you suggest doing to an Australian boy who would like to take up cycling seriously?
I would suggest him coming to live in Tuscany,it's a nice place,with an ideal weather,where people are friendly and where there's lots of love towards cycling.It is like a cycling university and,if you want to have success,you mustn't be afraid of going through hard moments,at least at the beginning.They help you to learn new things and to grow up.
(Interview translated from http://www.tuttobiciweb.it/index.php?page=news&cod=24573 written by Stefano Fiori)

So,that's all for this post.If you want to know more about Richie,here are 3 more links:
http://www.dailypeloton.com/displayarticle.asp?pk=15462 :interview from Daily Peloton (even Richie enjoys fishing!!)
http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/opening-doors-comes-naturally-for-porte :interview from cyclingnews.
http://twitter.com/porteye :Richie's Twitter page.
http://www.riis-cycling.com/ny_news.asp?n_id=2624 :article from Saxo Bank website.