Team Sky may no longer have Chris Froome in the race but the British team is definitely not out of the running for the overall victory in the Tour de France. Team Principal David Brailsford has full confidence in Richie Porte and claims that the Australian has recently been climbing better than anyone else in the team.

Dave Brailsford and Richie Porte insist Team Sky are now focused on the future after Chris Froome’s forced withdrawal on a treacherous fifth stage.

Brailsford and Porte outlined the team’s new plan after emerging from the bus at the start of stage six, and while they are hugely disappointed to have lost Froome to injury, they were keen to stress that there is still plenty to fight for in the Team Sky camp as the race moves forwards.

Porte has now been promoted to team leader and Brailsford believes he is more than capable of rising to the challenge.

He told Sky Sports News: “Yesterday is history now and life moves on. You’ve got to react quickly in this game, so there’s no point looking in looking backwards. It’s disappointing for Chris, but we’ve got to deal with today, and the rest of the race.

“We’re very early on in the grand scheme of things here, there’s a lot of racing still to go, and Richie is eighth on GC. He is a fantastic rider, who’s been climbing better than anyone in the team in recent weeks, so it’s all still to play for.

“I think Richie can go a really long way in this race, and although Nibali is in a strong position at the moment, it’s all still to play for. I think if we’re patient and we manage ourselves properly, then we’re still very much in the mix.”

Porte himself, is ready to grasp his opportunity with both hands, and he too believes there is still plenty to fight for as the race edges closer to the mountains.

He said: “Obviously it’s not nice when the defending champion crashes out. When I got back to my room last night Chris was there, and despite the circumstances, he was quite upbeat. He wished me all the best and I want to step up and take this opportunity now.

“I’ve been flying under the radar a bit, which is fine. I’m in good form, the team are right behind me, and we’ll take things day by day.

“Nibali’s got a good lead and it’s up to the rest of us to take the race to him now. He and Jakob Fuglsang have a head start on the rest of us but we’ll get these next couple of stages out of the way and then see where we are.

“I’m really looking forward to getting into the mountains. I still think the race will be decided in the Pyrenees in that last week. Astana have to defend now and we’re definitely in for an interesting race.”

Froome’s departure led many in the media to question whether Team Sky had been right to omit Bradley Wiggins from the Tour de France team, but Brailsford stands by his decision and insists Richie is ready to step up to the mantle.

He added: “You make a decision at the time, with the facts that you have, and you make a call. My job is to make those decisions and I get judged by them.

"Other people will judge me by them and I made the call to try and win the race with Chris. I think he’d have won this race, and that’s what we went for.

“We’ve got a fantastic plan B in Richie. Richie is going ever so well and if Brad had been here, Richie would still have been our plan B, and I think people should realise that.

“We’re still optimistic and still very much still in this race.”