After its traditional start to the season in Australia, Richie Porte (INEOS Grenadiers) will make his debut in Europe as he will participate in his 9th Paris-Nice (March 7-14). The Australian has unveiled his ambitions for the “Sun race“. “I am not really in a position to express my ambitions for this Paris-Nice. I have just returned from Australia and it is already a very complicated race to win in normal times. There, I do not know at all in what state of form I find myself. I only raced in January in Australia when my opponents took part in races of an already very high level in Europe.“, he explains in a press release from the French event.
Video – Richie Porte won two Paris-Nice!
Door: “It’s a special test for me”
Double winner of Paris-Nice (2013 and 2015), Richie Porte did not hide his love for this stage race. “Paris-Nice is not an easy race to win, so to have won it twice is rewarding. It’s a special test for me. Living in Monaco, I mainly train on the roads around Nice. So I feel like I’m running at home towards the end of the week. It is also a tricky race with side wind the first days and mountainous terrain the second weekend. It’s a tough ordeal for everyone“said the 36-year-old runner.
For his 9th participation in the “Sun race“, the Launceston native could be a luxury teammate for his young teammate Tao Geoghegan Hart, winner of Tour of Italy 2020. “We have a very strong team for this Paris-Nice. So above all, I would like to play a role in a collective movement, to help the group win, with anyone. Above all, I can’t wait to resume!“, concludes the runner ofINEOS Grenadiers.
🇦🇺 At the start of his 9th #ParisNice, @richie_porte is one of the riders who best knows the Race to the Sun, one he’s won twice.
🎙 With a few days to go until the départ, the Australian “can’t wait for his… home race!”
âž¡ https://t.co/SnST5uNAWD pic.twitter.com/rNuz51b4a0
– Paris-Nice (@ParisNice) March 3, 2021
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