Team switch on cards for Porte

RICHIE Porte is set to race his last Tour de France for BMC, with the Australian star to change teams at the end of the season.

Porte, among the favourites for next month’s Tour, is believed to have reached an in-principle agreement with Trek-Segafredo for 2019 and beyond. Porte was forced to consider his options, with BMC facing an uncertain future in the wake of owner and hearing-aid billionaire Andy Rihs’s passing. The US-registered team, which helped Cadel Evans create history as the first Australian to win the world’s biggest bike race, has been frantically trying to find a new title sponsor.

But with its entire rider roster and staff without contracts for next season, Porte and several teammates, including Olympic champion Greg Van Avermaet, have sought to safeguard their futures.

Trek-Segafredo appears a perfect fit for the 33year-old. It has been looking for a long-term general classification leader for some time.

Spanish star Alberto Contador retired at the end of 2017, which has freed up money to pursue a rider of Porte’s calibre.

Porte this week refused to confirm his departure, but said BMC — his home for three years — was running out of time.

“No one knows what’s going on. We know that management behind the scenes are doing their best and it’s not an easy environment to get a sponsor,” Porte said. “There’s no secret, now’s the time, there’s other teams interested and I have a new baby and stuff like that. Financially I’ve done really well out of cycling, but I don’t have many years left so you have to factor that in.”

Under UCI rules, contracts cannot be officially signed until August 1.