Porte quits Sky to pursue Grand Tour dream with BMC

Australian rider Richie Porte, fresh from helping Team Sky's Chris Froome win a second Tour de France, announced on Saturday he will ride for the BMC Racing team next season.

Porte, a key domestique in Sky's three Tour successes with Bradley Wiggins in 2012 and then Froome in 2013 and this year, is moving to pursue his dream of a Grand Tour success in his own right.

"I want to win again races like Paris-Nice and the Tour of Catalonia," said the 30-year-old who was in the final year of his contract with Sky.

"Next year, why not have a Tejay van Garderen and myself at the Tour de France, we get on well."

He added: "It's exciting to be in a team where I'll have so many chances to win races."

In nine Grand Tours since 2010 the Tasmanian has a best placed seventh in the Tour d'Italia in his debut season in the elite division.

After four years at Sky, Porte was one of the biggest names in this year's transfer market and aside from BMC he had been linked to Australia's SBS Television and Etixx-QuickStep.
Source: AFP