‘What a brilliant ride it was’: Richie Porte retires from professional racing

2020 Oppy Medallist Richie Porte has announced his retirement from professional riding.

Porte posted the announcement to his Facebook page earlier this week, where he thanked the people and teams that had supported him throughout his 13-year professional career, adding “I’m very much ready to enjoy the next chapter but what a brilliant ride it was.”

Arguably one of Australia’s greatest climbers over the last decade, Porte only took up competitive cycling in 2006 at the age of 21, having previously competed in triathlons and competitive swimming.

However, after winning the Giro d'Italia Young Rider Classification in 2010, the Tasmanian attracted the attention of the cycling fraternity and turned professional the same year, aged 24.

Over the next decade, Porte would assert himself as one of Australia’s greatest riders.

From 2013, he won six major stage races across a nine-year period, and was the first ever rider to win the Paris–Nice, Volta a Catalunya, and Giro del Trentino treble in one season.

With a third-place finish in 2020, he is one of only two Australian riders behind Cadel Evans to finish on the podium in the Tour de France, and Porte competed at two Olympic Games (2016, 2020).

The Launceston rider looked destined for a high finish in the Road Race at the Rio Games, before a crash with 35km to go ended his race.

Porte has also performed well on home soil, winning the National Time Trial Championships in 2015, and twice winning the Tour Down Under (2017, 2020).

The Tour Down Under proved to be an especially prosperous event for Porte, who won the Willunga Hill stage an incredible seven times, before embarking on his final Tour Down Under in February this year.

Professionally, Porte first rode for Team Saxo Bank in 2010 prior to joining Team Sky in 2012, where he played a key part in the success of teammates Bradley Wiggins and Chris Froome.

He later rode for BMC Racing and Trek–Segafredo, before signing his final professional contract with Ineos Grenadiers in 2021.

Porte’s accomplishments were recognised in 2020, where he won the Oppy Medal as Australian Cyclist of the Year and was inducted into the Australian Cycling Hall of Fame.

Career Snapshot

Grand Tours

• Giro d'Italia, Winner Young rider classification (2010)
• Tour de France, 1 TTT stage win (2018)
• Tour de France, 3rd overall (2020)

Major Stage Races

• Overall winner, Paris–Nice (2013, 2015)
• Overall winner, Volta a Catalunya (2015)
• Overall winner, Tour de Romandie (2017)
• Overall winner, Tour de Suisse (2018)
• Overall winner, Critérium du Dauphiné (2021)

National Championships

• Winner National Time Trial Championships (2015)

World Championships

• Bronze medal, UCI Road World Championships Team Time Trial (2013)

Other Major Races

• Overall winner, Volta ao Algarve (2012)
• Overall winner, Giro del Trentino (2015)
• Overall winner, Tour Down Under (2017, 2020)

Cycling Achievements

• AusCycling Hall of Fame Inductee (2020)
• Oppy Medal (2020)

Feature image: Richie Porte wins the 2015 Australian Road Nationals Elite Men's Time Trial. Picture John Veage