With the start of the Tour de France just around the corner Richie Porte (Sky) is ready to bring home the overall victory for Team Sky for a second consecutive year.

Despite taking a milestone overall victory at Paris-Nice in March and showing blistering form throughout the entire season, the 28-year-old Australian is dedicated to aiding friend and team-mate Chris Froome capture the yellow jersey during three weeks of hard racing and keeping hold of it all the way to Paris.

Speaking to TeamSky.com ahead of the start of the race Porte confirmed: “I’m feeling ready to go. This has been the aim the whole season - to go to the Tour and to be there to support Chris as much as I can in the mountains. Also if I can perform well enough, after I’ve done my job, I’d like to hopefully hold onto a place in the GC as well.”

Speaking of the allure of the French grand tour, Porte admits:

“It’s the biggest race of them all. Everybody is at the top of their game. Everyone on the start line is in top shape. It demands a lot of respect. Especially this year, the first week is likely to be more stressful.”

Entering the battle field in Corsica is a nine-man unit made up primarily of riders who featured prominently in a successful sortie at the Critérium du Dauphiné – Porte taking second in a Team Sky 1-2 behind Froome.

The Sky team looks to be firing on all cylinders. Commenting on the virtual invincibility of the team, Porte said:

“It’s a young team and a very British team this year. Guys like Pete Kennaugh and Geraint Thomas were winning gold medals last year on the track. This time around they are going into battle for Chris Froome to try and help him win the Tour. Even though it’s a young team it’s an incredibly well-drilled team. The Dauphiné was absolutely brilliant. It’s not that we’re lacking in experience either having the likes of [Vasil] Kiryienka on board.”

Looking at the challenges of his role across the three weeks, Porte sees his position as similar to that Froome occupied 12 months ago.

“If you look at it, last year Chris had the same role as I have this year. I talk with Chris every day. We train a lot together, so I know what it entails. He’s done his apprenticeship but he was in such brilliant form last year that he was also able to hold on and finish second on GC. It would be an absolute dream to do something similar. It’s not an easy thing to do. With the form I have at the moment – and you need a bit of luck I guess – I’ve done everything I can to be up there at the pointy end on GC come Paris.”