It's official: Porte to BMC in 2016

Reigning Australian national time trial champion Richie Porte will be part of BMC Racing for the 2016 season, team president and general manager Jim Ochowicz announced Saturday.

Walking away... After four years with Team Sky, Richie Porte will be riding for the BMC Racing Team in 2016. (ANSA) Source: ANSA

"We officially welcome Richie to the BMC Racing Team," Ochowicz said.

"Richie's addition to our roster for next year adds extra muscle and a wealth of experience. It also gives us the chance to separate and/or unite our strategies and goals as we see fit throughout the season."

Porte, 30, has won nine races this season, including the overall titles at Paris-Nice, the Giro del Trentino and Volta a Catalunya. Currently ranked fifth in the UCI WorldTour rider standings, he most recently helped Chris Froome win the Tour de France, as a member of Team Sky.

"I think next year at the Tour de France, why not have Tejay van Garderen and me there?"

Porte said he could not pass up another opportunity to be part of a team that featured another Australian, 2011 Tour de France winner and past world road champion, Cadel Evans.

"I was close to coming to the BMC Racing Team four years ago," Porte said.

"This time, it was a hard decision, but the right decision. Obviously, Cadel left his legacy with the team. When he was racing, it was almost like it was partially an Australian team. There were always so many Aussies at the races with BMC caps on. With them still having Rohan Dennis and Campbell Flakemore - who is from Tasmania like me - the team still does have a fairly Australian flavour."

Porte said his objectives for next year are straightforward: to keep his winning ways going.

"I want to win races like Paris-Nice and Catalunya again and I think next year at the Tour de France, why not have Tejay van Garderen and me there? We get along well," he said.

"It is exciting to be going to a team where I am going to have so many opportunities for myself to win races."

In keeping with team policy, no other terms or conditions of the contract were released.