Cycling news - Richie Porte determined to be ready for postponed Tour de France

The start of this year’s Tour has been postponed until August 29 due to the coronavirus pandemic and may have to go ahead with reduced spectator numbers in order to comply with guidelines put in place by the French sports ministry.

Porte, who has hinted that the 2020 race could be his last as a yellow jersey contender, has been training at home in Monaco during the lockdown and said that having a provisional Grand Depart date to work towards had acted as a strong motivational tool.

"Once we had a date – I think I probably speak for everyone here – when you got up and had to do the daily Zwift, and all of that, it just became a real light at the end of the tunnel, Porte told Cycling News.

Trek–Segafredo rider Porte, who won the 2020 Tour Down Under in Australia in January, is hopeful that lockdown restrictions in Monaco will ease from May 4.

However, with the principality surrounded by France that does not mean he will be able to start cycling outdoors. And he admitted that his home victory in Adelaide felt like it was a different year.

"At the moment, there's a hell of a lot of 'what ifs' to get over. I think it's good news that at the moment the Tour is pencilled in.

"It's a special year, you know; no one could have predicted that this could have happened or would have happened," Porte said.

"I just think if we have races this year, it'll be a massive bonus, and it looks like that is what they're working towards. All we can do as cyclists is ride our bikes as best we can, whether that's on the road or on Zwift. It's really something to look forward to."

Should the Tour go ahead as currently planned then Porte faces the possibility of missing the arrival of his second child.

The 35-year-old’s wife Gemma is due to give birth on September 12, 15 days into the three-week race.

"At this stage of my career, we've made the decision that there are not going to be many more Tours to do, and that I should be at the race," Porte said.

"Of course, it's not ideal, and it's not something that you want, but I also feel this is probably in the twilight of my career. I need to do the Tour and our sponsors have been really good as well, so you feel like you do need to make some sacrifices.

"To be honest, it's the biggest sacrifice I can think of, but I'll be ready to go to the Tour."