LIEGE: Richie Porte believes he has managed his efforts better this year as he builds up to July's Tour de France.
The 31-year-old Tasmanian had been in flying form over the first few months of 2015, winning three stage races in Paris-Nice, Volta a Catalunya and Giro del Trentino.
He'd also taken second in the Tour Down Under and fourth at the Volta ao Algarve, but thereafter his season unravelled and he pulled out of the Giro d'Italia after hurting his leg in a crash before being far from his best at the Tour de France.
This year, though, he believes he's building up his form at the right pace as he aims for Tour and Olympic glory in the summer.
"Obviously last year the aim was always the Giro and it was a disaster! But this year it's been much (better), it's been the old slow-burner," said the BMC rider.
"You change teams and (have) a new coach but I'm really happy with the way things are going with David Bailey, my new coach at BMC.
"It's all for July and August -- after the Tour there's the Olympic Games and I really want to be there.
"This time last year I was in incredible shape -- I think I'd won nine races already, so this year's been a lot more low-key. But it's starting to get serious now: the Tour's only 10 weeks away."
Porte was in Belgium to ride Sunday's Liege-Bastogne-Liege for only the second time, although his ambitions are limited.
He's more interested in the pre-Tour stage races such as the Tour of Romandie and then the Criterium du Dauphine.
"For me it's more about having a good hit-out before Romandie.
"I've done this race twice and never finished so it would be nice to finish! But I think I'm in quite good form just coming from altitude on (Mount) Etna.
"We'll just have to see what happens.
"I don't think the team's putting any pressure on me to perform and we've still got a good team here even though Phil's (former winner Philippe Gilbert) out.
"It would be a dream to win it but realistically I've not done any specific training for this race.
"I think guys like (compatriot) Simon Gerrans and these guys, obviously this is a massive aim for them but for me it's really: try and get through it and prove that I can finish a long race."
'La Doyenne', meaning 'the oldest', as the race is known, is 253km long and will afford Porte an opportunity to catch up with his old friends from Team Sky, in particular Briton Chris Froome whom he helped to win two Tour de France titles.
"I haven't seen that much of him but I'm pretty sure he's also in the same boat and just about to ramp up the training," said Porte, who will be one of Froome's rivals in the defence of his Tour crown in July.
"It's always good to line up against my old mates and team-mates at Team Sky and have a good ding-dong battle," added Porte.
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