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cycling: Richie Porte: "Not good for cycling if Froome is absent from the Tour"

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Porte Froome

Cycling: In the past few months, numerous journalists, professionals, ex-professionals and officials have commented on the Chris Froome (Sky) case. Almost everyone agreed that the Briton should actually be banned and that Sky and Froome are harming the sport with their delaying tactics. Now a former teammate and current rival jumps in at Froome's side: Richie Porte (BMC) thinks that cycling is the big loser if the defending champion doesn't start at the Tour de France.

Porte wants to compete against the defending champion

Richie Porte got off to a good start to the season at the Tour Down Under in his native Australia. After the race he answered questions from L'Equipe. He surprisingly stated that he sees cycling as a loser if the defending champion cannot compete in the Tour de France. Although Chris Froome is a big rival of Richie Porte, both have ridden together in a team and have become more or less friends.

“It wouldn't be good for cycling if the defending champion couldn't start in the Tour de France. But then there will be other opponents, such as Romain Bardet or Vincenzo Nibali, who has won almost everything.”

Tirreno-Adriatico instead of Paris-Nice

Of course, Richie Porte would love to compete against the defending champion at the Tour de France. His statement should not be misconstrued as it is aimed more generally at the absence of a defending champion than at a doping accused Chris Froome. Porte just wants to compete with the very best. That's why he changed his timetable at short notice.

"I'm changing my plan for spring. I love Paris-Nice, but after the Tour of Algarve I want to compete with Froome and Nibali at Tirreno-Adriatico.”

Apparently Richie Porte is adamant that we will indeed see Chris Froome racing again in March. The UCI President would probably not be happy about that. David Lappartient has called for Chris Froome's suspension.

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More than Michael Behringer

Cycling with all its tactics, stage analyses, placements and forecasts are Michael Behringer's great passion. In 1996 he tracked his first Tour de France. Since then he has observed almost every race. His passion for cycling has been with him for over two decades. There is no end in sight.