Porte goes full circle for final Grand Tour

Australian Grand Tour contender Richie Porte will take aim at the Giro d’Italia, his major season target for 2022.

Richie Porte at the Volta a Catalunya in 2022.

Porte will go into the Giro d’Italia sharing the limelight and possibly leadership at the race with former winner Richard Carapaz, part of a strong INEOS Grenadiers roster.

The 37-year old Australian will be racing his 17th Grand Tour in what is set to be his final season as a professional, with the Giro his focus since the start of the season, with the Tour and Vuelta unlikely to be on the Tasmanian’s horizon.

Porte has a long history with the race, the 2010 edition propelling him to the fore of the sport as he spent three days in the race lead as a neo-professional rider. The Giro and Italy as a whole hold some fond memories for Porte.

“I did my amateur days in Italy and that was like my cycling apprenticeship,” said Porte in a team press release. “Then I went to the Giro in 2010 as a neo pro and the next thing you know, I wore the pink jersey for three days.

“That was incredible and still some of the best memories of my career to be honest. It’s a privilege to go full circle and finish up at the Giro for my last Grand Tour.”

Richie Porte (Aus) in the pink jersey and Matthew Lloyd (Aus) in the green jersey on Stage 14 of the 2010 Giro. Credit: Luc Claessen/Getty Images

The Australian star has amassed a series of strong results over the years in Grand Tours and one-week stage races, with his 7^th overall in the 2010 Giro being joined by top 10 performances at the Tour de France which culminated in 3^rd overall at the 2020 Tour. Porte has yet to win this season but strong performances at the Tour of the Alps (7^th overall) and Tirreno-Adriatico (4^th overall) show that he possesses the form to be up there with the best at the Italian Grand Tour.

“I’m 37 now but at the end of the day it's just a number isn’t it? I know I can perform on my day - obviously off bike I have a family now which changes things but on the bike I’m going as well as I ever have,’ said Porte. “Going into this race, we’ve got a guy in Richard Carapaz who can win this race. It’s nice to go there with a rider you like, respect and hopefully help win the race. It’s so motivating.”

Porte has said that 2022 will be his final season as a professional cyclist, with the Australian hanging up the cleats for sure despite possessing the ability to continue at the top level. That sort of form should make for a final hurrah at the Giro d’Italia, whether in service of his own general classification placing or as a key man for Carapaz.

The 105th edition of the Giro d'Italia is coming to SBS - with the Italian three-week Grand Tour LIVE and FREE on SBS, with every minute of racing action LIVE on SBS On Demand.