Richie Porte joins BMC team

PARIS (AP) Australian rider Richie Porte hopes to fulfill his ambition of winning a Grand Tour within the BMC Racing team.

After helping Sky win three Tours de France, the 30-year-old Porte confirmed he will join the U.S. registered team for the 2016 season.

Porte, who won nine races in 2015, teams up with American Tejay van Garderen, another rider with the potential of winning big races.

Porte says ''I think next year at the Tour de France, why not have Tejay van Garderen and me there? We get along well.''

Porte helped Bradley Wiggins win the Tour in 2012, worked as a domestique for Chris Froome as the British rider won the 2013 and 2015 editions of the race, but failed to deliver when given a leadership role in three-week races.