Broken bones or not, Porte has a new target

THE texts started barely two days after Richie Porte crashed out of last month’s Tour de France.

Back at his Monaco home, nursing a busted collarbone and another dashed goal, Porte and Cycling Australia technical director Brad McGee were already busy with the next plan.

Porte’s goal is now a big result in the road race at the world road championships, from September 23-30 at Innsbruck, Austria.

The hilly worlds road race course suits Porte’s strengths.

“The biggest goal is worlds now,” Porte said.

“A couple of days after the crash, it was nice to get a message from Brad. He put that thought in my head and that motivated me to get my act together to get back before the season is out.”

Porte’s plan is to race at the August 25-September 16 Vuelta a Espana, where he will aim to build his form ahead of the worlds. The Australian road championships teams announced yesterday are built around Porte and Amanda Spratt, who is in career-best form.

Likewise, Lucas Hamilton will lead a strong men’s under-23 lineup. Perennial contender Rohan Dennis is also a big medal chance in the elite time trial and Callum Scotson similarly will target a strong result in the men’s under-23 event.

The retirement of Kat Garfoot after her Commonwealth Games gold medal means there will be no Australian in the women’s elite time trial. Garfoot won silver in the road race and bronze in the time trial at last year’s worlds.

Last year, CA sparked controversy by not picking a full women’s road race team. Chloe Hosking and Rachel Neylan appealed and were added to the team.

Porte had enjoyed a strong season before he crashed out early in stage nine of the Tour. Spratt finished third in the Giro Rosa and won Spain’s Emakumeen Bira stage race.

Road captain Simon Clarke, Jack Haig, Damien Howson, Chris Hamilton, Rory Sutherland, Robert Power and Dennis will back Porte.

Spratt’s teammates will be Tiffany Cromwell, Grace Brown, Brodie Chapman, Shara Gillow, Lucy Kennedy and Sarah Roy.

Joining Lucas Hamilton and Scotson in the men’s under-23 team are Jai Hindley, Damian Stannard, Michael Storer and James Whelan.