By Greg Johnson

Australian youngster Richie Porte is returningꦬ to Europe tomorrow with the a🦋im of a solid finish at the baby Giro d'Italia. Porte, who will ride for Monsummanese Grassi Mapei, is hoping another year in the amateur ranks will lead to a professional role for the 2010 season.

"I'm looking forward to riding with Monsummanese, it is my thirಞd year in Italy and it is exciting to be joining a team with so much history," said Porte.

Porte's most recent race was at Malaysia's Tour de Langkawi as a member of the Australian Nation꧂al Team. While working for team leader Jai Crawford, who finished second in the event, Porte p💎ut such a solid ride on the that he claimed 10th overall for himself as well.

"Langkawi was a great oppor꧟tunity and we worked so well as a team which showed in the resu🌺lts," he said.

Langkawi wasn't the only solid ride Porte has posted this season. At January's the Tasmanian finished third in the elite men's time trial, behind Team 𓆉Columbia's Michael Rogers and Garmin-Slipstream's Cameron Meyer.

"I am really looking forward to the 2009 season," sa💯id Porte. "I really hope to be able to show that I can ride at the top level and working with people like Andrea Tafi – I think it 🌟is a real possibility.

"The baby Giro d'Italia꧋ is back in 2009 and I would really like to focus on a strong general classification result there," he added. "I will be doing most of the amateur races throughout Italy and really want to 🥃get consistent results."