Richie Porte credits a move to Italy with giving his pro cycling career its impetus. Source: Colleen Petch / News Limited
RICHIE Porte says claiming a Tour Down Under wildcard ride in 2008 did not open the flood gates towards a professional cycling career - contrary to popular belief.
The popular Team Sky Pro Cycling all rounder said he struggled on the "bones of his arse" for the next two years after making an instant impact at the 2008 TDU where he finished ninth overall.
He was an instant TDU revelation riding for UniSA after finishing fourth overall at the Australian national cycling championships and fifth in the 2008 time trial.
But Porte, 28, said it was his time with Italian amateur cycling outfit Bedogni Grassi Natalini that really kick-started his career before winning his first professional contract with Team Saxobank, which at the time housed Australians Stuart O'Grady and Brad McGee.
"I didn't get a pro contract for another two years after that ride as a wildcard at the Tour Down Under,'' Porte said.
"(The ticket towards a pro contract) was from an Italian amateur team, to be honest. It was that team that did a lot more.
"I shifted to Italy and it was a kind of round about way to win the pro contract."
The former Launceston-based swimming pool lifeguard worked a nine to five job in between jumping on the bike before emerging with a bullet at the 2008 TDU.
Porte didn't climb the ranks through the Australian Institute of Sport cycling system but said he was determined to earn a career in cycling despite being the "hard way."
"I worked around Launceston for an outdoor pool which was open all year,'' Porte said.
"It was always a dream to win a pro contract and when it happens it's just a life target."
"It was always my dream to turn professional but I have had some good people in my corner along the way like Brad McGee and Stuart O'Grady people like that.
"Stuey (O'Grady) is one of the best human beings you'll ever meet.
"I guess there were some of the lucky breaks to have people vouge for you and in cycling it's a lot of who you know, there's a lot of people that can't get into it.''
But after having a huge 2013 with Team Sky where he Paris-Nice overall honours and helped his good friend, teammate Chris Froome claim the Tour de France general classification, Porte who finished 19th overall at the French Grand Tour said he was now targeting GC at the TDU next month.
"I'd love to win it (TDU),'' Porte said.
"I think (Simon) Gerrans (Orica-GreenEDGE) is motivated as well and between us it's quite solid, the chance to trying to win the ochre jersey."
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