Richie Porte confirms he is leaving Team Sky at end of year

Not really quite good enough for me. Great occasionally, but too far off the pace when he's not good. The "I'm-having-so-much-fun" grin won't last forever.

I believe Porte isn't in the top league to be a true contender for a grand tour title. On occasion he has bad day and loses too much time against his competition

I think this is probably the best for both parties, I don't think Porte can claim he hasn't been given a chance and has been the established no2 for a few years. And Sky, with G, and now Leopold Konig (who has a better Grand tour record than porte), it seems they need to try something new.

He's done a great job as a supporting rider though and good luck to him. Maybe Orica is a good bet, he can help galvanise the team, get the good young riders going and bring some of what he's learnt at Sky.

There were recent rumblings about Sky wanting to sign a certain rainbow striped jersey rider.

A longer term prospect than Porte perhaps?

He's a one-week stage race guy, that's it. I can't see any team taking him on for TdF leadership, which is clearly what he's craving; the big teams have their leaders established.

MTN might be an option - they look to be pushing for inclusion in WT next year, and he would build out their GC capability

Quote:

He wants to be a team leader for GC (edit - in a world tour) - that's the difference.

And what has be been doing all year?
Paris-Nice; Volta a Catalunya; Giro del Trentino; Giro d’Italia

Thats a lot of team leading (and all are world tour races are they not?). Add in Tour Down Under as well - In fact the TDF is the first race he has done this year where he is not team leader.

Seems to me that Porte has not exactly been short of team leadership roles at team sky so far this year...

So one might suspect that Porte is perhaps looking for a team that is not so much in the limelight maybe? or perhaps sky were not forthcoming in the financial offer?

I suspect that in 2016, we may well see Porte leading BMC at the Giro, and then being super domestique to TVG at the Tour?

I cannot see Richie Porte being an improvement on TvG. BMC have a history of investing in strong domestiques though.

When we look at teams one often left out is Giant. Obviously got excellent sprinters/Classics but no GC and should be a massive team.

A top team needs more than one GT rider imho and BMC maybe the perfect fit for him. Other than the odd stage win Orica will never offer him the GT success he craves.

Etixx are a strange outfit with Stybar, Kwia and Uran brilliant riders but whilst they have Cav then the TdF green jersey will always be his to go for.

Trek is a possibility with no genuine GT rider but you never know Katusha or Astana maybe after new blood, JRod is not the same rider and Nibali seems to fall out regularly with his team mates plus Sky may well have done a deal to bring Landa / Aru for Porte ??????????????

I know that it happens because this is the time of year the world is most focussed on cycling, but it does feel wrong to come out with this in the middle of a race.

I hope he backs up his claims by riding strongly over the next two weeks.

He did get a GC chance for Sky at the Giro, although it didn't work out. I assume Sky are looking at a different GC option beyond Froome in the future.

If he goes to Orica he will not have a team strong enough for GC. If he goes to BMC he will be behind TJ. Etixx have Uran, but they are not gong into the Tour GC focussed with stage winds a big part of the plan. They have had 3 and the Panzerwagen in yellow.

It might be a mutal parting of the ways.

Etixx if they don't renew Cav's contract? Uran has had a try at Grand Tours and isn't liking like he'll make the top spots. BMC, would be a kick in the nads for Van Garderan, especially at his current position at TdF. Orica would seem most likely.

"linked with BMX Racing"

Should that be BMC or is Richie taking a whole new direction?