It's two months away but Richie Porte is showing great signs as Australia's best chance of a Tour de France victory since Cadel Evans' title defence in 2012.
The 32-year-old Tasmanian produced a devastating display of strength as he won the Tour de Romandie in Switzerland on Sunday, reasserting form that began with his maiden Tour Down Under victory in January.
Having broken away with Britain's Simon Yates on the queen stage on Saturday, he smashed his rival in the final day's hilly 17.8km time trial around Lausanne on Sunday.
Porte not only reeled in a 19-second deficit but built a 21-second advantage.
"I knew I was in good condition for this race so to finish off the hard work that BMC Racing Team have put in for me is incredible," said Porte.
"I didn't think I'd be able to claw that much time back."
Porte regarded the latest win as a huge boost ahead of his main goal, the Tour de France in July, which he approaches in much better circumstances than a year ago.
Last year, in his first season with BMC Racing, he was still being forced to battle with American Tejay van Garderen for team leadership as the tour began.
While he won that fight on form his chances were cruelled by a puncture then a crash into a TV motorcycle on Mont Ventoux and he had to settle for fifth overall.
This season, BMC Racing have thrown all their support behind Porte for the Tour de France, with van Garderen assigned the earlier Giro d'Italia.
"The team has backed me to the hilt this year," said Porte.
"They have built a team around me, they have put no pressure on me, and it is just going so well right now."
Porte went into the Tour de Romandie after a six-week break from competition following the Paris-Nice race where he won a stage.
It marked his first clash of the season on European soil with three-time and defending Tour de France champion Chris Froome and he came out well on top in that gauge of form.
After losing time on Saturday, Froome, a two-time Tour de Romandie winner, finished the time trial, which he'd surely stand a chance of winning in top form, in ninth place to finish the race 33rd overall.
Asked if he would be Froome's biggest challenger come July, Porte spread the pressure between a number of rivals and warned it would be foolish to read anything into Froome's quiet race.
"Chris will be ready come July and I don't think you've seen the real Chris yet," he said.
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