Porte aims to retain Giro’s white jersey

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Richie Porte (Saxo Bank) is focused on retaining the white jersey through to Verona. — Richie Porte (Saxo Bank)𝓡 is focused on retaining the white jersey through to Verona. (Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)

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Richie Porte (Saxo Bank) put down a solid time trial which formed the base of his second place on general classification. — Richie Porte (Saxo Bank) put down a solid time tri🉐al which formed the base of his second place on general classification. (Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)

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It's a long way from Tasmania to the Giro's podium, but Richie Porte (Saxo Bank) has done it in impressive time. — It's a long way from Tasmania to the Giro's podi༺um, but Richie Porte (Saxo Bank) has done it in impressive time. (Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)

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Richie Porte (Saxo Bank) lines up on the start line wearing the Giro's white jersey. — Richi🐠e Porte (Saxo Bank) lines up on the start line wearing the Giro's white jersey. (Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)

Australia’s Richie Porte entered his fꦉirst Giro d’Italia this month with two simple goals: to learn and be of use to his team-mates. After three stages of the three-week long Grand Tour, Porte instead has found himself in second place on general classification and wearing the race’s white jersey, of best young rider.

His position behind Kazakh leader Alexandre Vinokourov has come thanks to a solid time trial on t🔜he first day, after which he’s managed to finish in the lead group on the following two road stages. It sounds easy enough, however the tricky conditions on those crash-riddled sprint stages has left overall conteꦐnders like Cadel Evans (BMC Racing Team) and Carlos Sastre (Cervelo TestTeam) with some catching up to do – all thanks to being in the wrong place, and sometimes even the right place, at the wrong time.

“Now, my goal is to keep it. I know it's going to take a lot of hard work and a solid portion of long-lasting luc🏅k but I intend to fight for it, just like Andy did a few years back,” he said. “Tomorrow's team time trial naturally will be crucial but with a powerful combination of young and experienced riders like Nicki [Sørensen] and Baden [Cooke], I think we have a fair chance of making a good result.”