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Richie Porte extends contract with BMC Racing Team beyond 2017

  • Ron 

Richie Porte will remain with BMC Racing Team beyond the 2017 season, General Manager Jim Ochowicz announced today at the team’s Tour de France press conference.

Porte, 32, joined BMC Racing Team in 2016 and has recorded two UCI WorldTour stage race wins, five stage wins, and fifth overall at the 2016 Tour de France, during that time.

Ochowicz said it was an easy decision to re-sign Porte ahead of the 2017 Tour de France.

“Since joining BMC Racing Team last year, Richie Porte has developed into our outright General Classification leader. Richie’s skill set and results speak for themselves and are in line with the team’s goals and objectives throughout the season. In just over a year, Richie has become an integral part of this organization and it a pleasure to extend his contract,” Ochowicz explained.

“In 2017 alone, Richie has delivered the overall win at the Santos Tour Down Under and Tour de Romandie, second place at the Critérium du Dauphiné and four stage wins, so I think any team would be thrilled to have a rider of Richie’s calibre in their ranks. We have the most important race of the year ahead of us and we felt it was the right moment to re-sign Richie so that his full concentration can be on the Tour de France. We already have full confidence in Richie and I think we are further demonstrating that with this announcement. We are excited to see what Richie does at the Tour de France and beyond with BMC Racing Team.”

Porte attributed his success and decision to re-sign to the team environment at BMC Racing Team.

“I have really enjoyed my first two years with BMC Racing Team so it was a natural decision to extend my contract. We are on the eve of the biggest race of the year, and my biggest goal of the season, and I feel at home with my teammates and the management and staff. I have raced with a few teams throughout the years and I definitely think BMC Racing Team is the right fit at this point in my career as I try to win the Tour de France. I like the atmosphere and the way BMC Racing Team operates, so I am sure this is where I want to be,” Porte said.

“I’ve had a great first half of the season and I think my results are a reflection of the way the team has created a really good training and racing environment for me. Things like having training camps at home in Monaco and building a core group of teammates around me from the first race of the year in Australia have really helped me. Whatever happens over the next three weeks, I’m looking forward to keeping the BMC Racing Team jersey on my back beyond the end of the season.”

Tags: 2016 Tour de France, 2017 Tour de France, Australia, BMC Racing Team, BMC Switzerland, CCC Pro Team, Cycle racing, cycling, Cyclists, Jim Ochowicz, Monaco, Porte, Richie Porte, SANTOS, Tour de Romandie, Tour Down Under, UCI Worldtour
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