It has been a truly disastrous season for Team Sky, but even worse for their key wingman Richie Porte. The petite Tasmanian-born rider was expected to finally step up and prove himself as a strong general classification contender at the Giro d’Italia. Unfortunately, he not only didn’t make it to the event’s Grande Partenza in Belfast, but put his season to premature end in September due to lingering pneumonia. The 29-year old hopes to bounce back in 2015, but admits that his objectives for the next year remain unclear.

Porte had had his 2014 season off to a good start with promising results claimed in Tour Down Under and Vuelta a Andalucia, but nothing has gone accordingly to his expectations since then. Even considering his typical inconsistency in three-week long events, the 29-year old Australian resembled a shadow of his former self and struggled while negotiating relatively undemanding climbs to eventually learn that had been suffering from a bout of pneumonia.

The Team Sky key lieutenant was forced to call it a season early in August, but immediately focused on regaining full health with a hope to bounce back in 2015. Porte insists that following a long antibiotic therapy and several changes to his lifestyle, he has so far experienced a perfect off season.

"I've had a brilliant off-season so far. I ended my racing season in August and went on a month-long course of antibiotics. There was a couple of lifestyle changes too, like having a girlfriend, and my motivation has improved as my health and fitness have gone up," Porte told Cyclingnews.

"Looking back at this year, it was disaster but it's hard to put a finger on where it went wrong and the exact single problem. I'm confident that after a month of antibiotics I'm back to health and over the pneumonia that I had at the Tour de France."

Porte won’t learn about his race programme for 2015 season before the team gathering in December and certainly cannot be sure about getting another chance of leading the squad in the Giro after Froome hinted that he might be interested in participating. Thus, the 29-year old Tasmanian remains more focused on fully resolving his health issues than on a particular schedule.

"All I know at the moment is that I don't want to have a repeat of this season. Obviously I'm looking toward the Giro at this early stage but trying to actually make it happen rather than getting sick like I did this year," he said.

"Nothing is concrete at the moment and a lot depends on what Chris wants to do next. You look at the Giro and it's a better-suited race for him and there's no reason why I wouldn't do the Giro but it's all talk until December because that's when the riders and team sit down and really discuss race plans. We'll have to wait and see."

"I guess for me it's not just about picking between the Giro and the Tour. There are races like Paris-Nice and Romandie, where I'd like opportunities. I'm not going to get too hung up about which Grand Tour I do. It's about making sure I get off to a good start to the season at the Tour Down Under and then getting back to winning ways. The key for me is to keep my health."