Australian fighting for a medal
World time trial champion Fabian Cancellara has identified his Saxo Bank team-mate Richie Porte as being one of the main obstacles to a fourth rainbow jersey on Thursday.
“He surprised the team and the cycling world with a super-great performance in the Giro d’Italia, and also the rest of the season,” he told the Sydney Morning Herald.
“For me, for a first year as a professional, it has been a great season, and he will have a huge future.”
Porte showed his ability against the clock this spring when he notched up a fine time trial win in the Tour de Romandie. This was followed up by a spell in the Maglia Rosa at the Giro d’Italia, victory in the best young rider classification and seventh overall in the race.
More recently, he finished tenth in the Clasica San Sebastian, second in the time trial in the Tour of Denmark, fourth in the TT in the Eneco Tour and fourth overall there. He was also fourth overall in the Tour of Britain.
At the time of the latter, it was not certain that Cancellara would ride. The big Swiss said then that he was unsure about his form, but he soon came around and opted to compete in Australia.
Porte will have been happy with that; he had said that he hoped Cancellara would take part, as it would ironically make it easier for him to get a medal if the best time trialist in the world was there.
“I think if Fabian does it, it is good for me,” he told VeloNation recently. “Fabian scares other guys off, he is unbeatable. He is such a great athlete. If he does it, it maybe a few guys might sit it out. So I’d prefer if he was there.”
He said then that he was happy with how his condition was building for the TT. “I have got really, really good form,” he enthused. “I am super-excited for the time trial. I think I can shock a few there, or really I hope I can. I can’t wait to get in there and race – it is going to be good fun.”
One who is likely to be very strong is Tony Martin (HTC Columbia). He was a full two and a half minutes back last year, netting the bronze medal, but he beat Cancellara in the long time trial in the Tour de Suisse and was close to him in the Tour de France. He lost ten seconds in the prologue and only 17 in the 52 kilometre time trial. On that form, he is the most likely rider to trouble Cancellara this week, but Porte will also line out psyched by the thoughts of fighting for a big result.