Team Sky pull Richie Porte from Giro squad
Australian will now focus his season around supporting Chris Froome at the Tour de France following disrupted Spring campaign
Richie Porte has been pulled from Team Sky's squad for the Giro d'Italia, seemingly because of an illness plagued Spring wrecking his chances of reaching race form for May 9.
The British team has put Porte's withdrawal down to their plan to have him ready to support Chris Froome at the Tour de France.
"Richie was always going to ride the Tour de France this year, but this now means that he can fully focus on being in the best possible shape without the added challenge of having ride the Giro as well." Explained Tim Kerrison, Sky's head of performance support.
Porte has already had to pull out of both Tirreno-Adriatico and the Volta a Catalunya this Spring after suffering a bout of gastroenteritis. Without those crucial racing miles in his legs he was already facing a race against time to be fit for the Giro.
He is currently set to ride Liege-Bastogne-Liege on April 27.
Porte was one of Froome's key support riders at the Tour last year, and apart from one bad day in the Pyrenees was the last team mate left with Froome in the mountains.
As well as the Tour, Porte will start the Criterium du Dauphine in June.
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
The withdrawal currently leaves the team leaderless at the Giro, and possibly short of riders as Colombian Sergio Henao continues to sit out racing while his blood values are monitored at altitude.
Sir Bradley Wiggins will lead Sky's team at the Giro del Trentino (April 22-25) as his program is re-shuffled once again. He was a last minute addition to the Tour of Flanders team after Ian Stannard and Chris Sutton were injured in crashes the previous weekend. Wiggins will ride Scheldeprijs on Wednesday and Paris-Roubaix, one of his season's targets, on Sunday.
Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Editor of Cycling Weekly magazine, Simon has been working at the title since 2001. He fell in love with cycling 1989 when watching the Tour de France on Channel 4, started racing in 1995 and in 2000 he spent one season racing in Belgium. During his time at CW (and Cycle Sport magazine) he has written product reviews, fitness features, pro interviews, race coverage and news. He has covered the Tour de France more times than he can remember along with two Olympic Games and many other international and UK domestic races. He became the 130-year-old magazine's 13th editor in 2015.
-
Customizable titanium race bikes without the eye-watering price tag: Blackheart's Road Ti bike reviewed
The Road Ti offers that calm and refined feel for a fraction of the cost of other titanium racing bikes.
By Greg Kaplan Published
-
Kasia Niewiadoma wins La Flèche Wallonne, first road victory for five years
The Canyon-Sram rider took her first road victory for five years on the Mur de Huy
By Adam Becket Published
-
‘I feel lucky to be alive’: Magnus Sheffield speaks for the first time about Gino Mäder’s fatal crash
The American describes what he saw at the Tour de Suisse, eight months after the tragedy
By Tom Davidson Published
-
Tom Pidcock: Tour of Britain route 'not really ideal for me'
Brit says he wants to win home stage race, even if the course plays in Wout van Aert's favour
By Tom Davidson Published
-
This 39-year-old INEOS Grenadiers rider moonlights as a pro triathlete
A Jack of all trades, Cameron Wurf is a domestique for INEOS Grenadiers professional cycling team, but doubles as a successful pro triathlete.
By Kristin Jenny Published
-
Ineos Grenadiers' only female rider Pauline Ferrand-Prévot eyes road return
Mountain bike legend could be back in the peloton next year
By Tom Davidson Published
-
Egan Bernal has nose operation to help 'air passage' ahead of 2023
Procedure not thought to be connected to the life-threatening crash which affected Colombian last year
By Adam Becket Published
-
Tweets of the week: Ineos Grenadiers' three wise men, team jersey déjà vu and World Cup celebrations by bike
Here's our social media round-up, featuring a cycling all-star nativity
By Tom Davidson Published
-
Ineos Grenadiers sign their first female rider
Pauline Ferrand-Prévot reported to be joining new Ineos mountain bike team, alongside Tom Pidcock
By Adam Becket Last updated
-
Remco Evenepoel transfer to Ineos Grenadiers is ‘too stupid for words’ says Patrick Lefevere
Lefevere revealed he has been laughing at speculation around the new world champion
By Tom Davidson Published