Australian cyclist Richie Porte joins BMC

Richie Porte

Richie Porte has confirmed that he will be joining the American BMC Racing Team on a one-year deal in 2016. The Team Sky cyclist, whose teammate, Chris Froome emerged victorious in the 2015 Tour de France, will part ways with Sky after 4 successful years.

The 30-year-old is a two-time winner of the Paris-Nice stage race, which lasts for a week. With Froome, Team Sky have won the Tour 3 times – twice with Froome (2013 and 2015) and once with Bradley Wiggins in 2012 – when Porte was part of the team.

He revealed that he was close to joining BMC before opting to join Team Sky while he admitted that it was a hard decision, but the right one (to join BMC). In his new team, he will be the spearhead, rather than playing second fiddle, alongside American Tejay van Garderen.

Porte had to retire after a series of problems this season despite making a promising start to the 2015 edition of Tour de France. Speculation had been rife after the culmination of the Tour and Porte put a rest to it by confirming the news of him joining the American team.

The Australian could be joined at BMC by fellow countryman Simon Clarke, who spent the last 4 years with Orica-Greenedge. He joins a strong Australian contingent at the team with Cadel Evans, the 2011 Tour de France winner, Rohan Dennis, who won the first stage of the 2015 Tour, and Campbell Flakemore.

BMC’s racing manager Jim Ochowicz said that the team would get a wealth of experience and extra muscle with the inclusion of Porte.