While Rohan Dennis was for long regarded a highly skilled time trial specialist and a promising prospect for a general classification rider, it took the young Australian a little longer than one would expect to prove that he is capable of matching pure climbers in the mountains. In that sense, his recent showing at the Tour of California has to be considered as a breakthrough performance, as the Garmin-Sharp rider won its queen stage in a truly impressive fashion to be surpassed only by Sir Bradley Wiggins (Team Sky) when the race reached its conclusion in Thousand Oaks.

With his confidence significantly boosted by promising performance on Mount Diablo, Dennis shares very interesting insight on a mental side of young rider’s development into future leader and grand tour contender and a process of taming a fear of pain while hitting the toughest climbs.

It took the 24-year old Australian more than two seasons to finally became capable of cresting the ultimate summits alongside other general classification contenders, and Dennis confessed that while his body was ready to meet the challenge for months, his head was the last barrier separating him from making this important step in his development as a professional rider.

“I found myself playing little games in my head, I wasn’t sure I could do it," Dennis told Cycling Central.

“I really had to stop the negative get too deep in my head that, ‘this is hurting’, ‘this is a long climb’. Physically I could do it, and what’s holding you back is your head. I was lucky enough that day to have a good head on my shoulders, that’s what got me over the line.”

Dennis has already left his mark as a splendid time trialist, regularly posting podium results against the clock, but as he personally admitted that last mountaintop finish was always separating him from translating his advantage gained in individual time trials into respectable overall results in stage races.

“At the Criterium I was getting over every climb until the final one. The final one I was having problems. It was always that last one that did the damage. Physically, okay last year physically I was out of my depth, I couldn’t have done it. This year a year older I expected to be there, and I wasn’t.

“You look for explanations when that happens. At Criterium I had things like ‘this is my first race back’, ‘these guys have peaked for this race’ in my head as to why I wasn’t there. You need that to believe in yourself, but you always nurse a little bit of doubt. Is this what I’m capable of doing, can I do it? Until you actually do do it, like on Mount Diablo, you don’t know.”

Always making the same impression of being a surprisingly mature 24-year old, Dennis admits that even though his breakthrough performance at the Tour of California significantly boosted his confidence, he still needs to continue in the same line to become certain of his newly developed abilities.

“I’ve cracked that a little bit now, it’s not fully cracked. But once I start to finish with the pure hill climbers on a consistent basis on a mountaintop, it’ll come more easily.

"Last year I think it was pretty obvious that around two-three kilometres to go I’d start to fade, I’d peter out. This year, the two mountain tops at a race I’ve targeted have gone really well, I got to the finish with the front group. I think I'm a little stronger, but the important thing is I've got a lot more confidence that I can be there."

Dennis is considered as one of the greatest talents of his generation and is provided by a huge amount of confidence by his Garmin-Sharp team. The 24-year old rider was linked several times with Orica-GreenEDGE and his latest showing at the Tour of California add some fuel to such rumors as Australian squad’s manager Matt White admitted that they are looking for a general classification contender to target three-week events from the next season.

The Garmin-Sharp rider was pleased with being taken into consideration, but once again proved his maturity by emphasizing that finishing his first three-week event would appear a necessary step before calling himself a grand tour contender, since his last year’s appearance at the Tour de France turned out to be a big failure and badly affected his self confidence.

“I know the Orica situation, looking for a GC contender for a Grand Tour, and that’s flattering and all if they wanted to put me in that situation. And maybe that would be something I’d want to do in two years, but at this stage it’s still a bit early.

“I’m happy to do a Grand Tour, even finish one first, maybe target a time trial or a key stage; to be one of the key domestiques, to learn, to see what it’s like to be at the front at the pointy end, when it’s necessary, and then grow further. Then to think bigger.

“But the way everyone’s talking about it at the moment is somebody who’s already good at a Grand Tour GC wise, and personally, I don’t think that’s where I am at the moment. Physically I might be close, but mentally I’m still very young. It’d be a huge ask competing a Grand Tour.

“I want to finish one first. I’m on the long list for the Tour, but honestly after last year, I wouldn’t be too fazed if I missed out. I think the Vuelta, a Grand Tour that isn’t the hardest race in the world like the Tour, would be better for me.”

Those comments would suggest Dennis is also happy to stay at Garmin-Sharp despite his contract expiring at the end of the year. Dennis says that while negotiations are yet to take place, he expects he’ll stay in Argyle colours for the foreseeable future.

“Garmin haven’t offered me anything at this stage still, but I don’t think they’ve offered anyone a new deal at this stage. I expect offers will start coming in June. If anyone wants me, they can come and get me (laughs). No but honestly, where I’m at is working really well. The team is working well for me.

"Yes, there are bigger teams out there. Much bigger teams in some cases. But the question is, does being on a bigger team suit me? I didn’t want to get lost among the furniture, that’s what happened to me at (Rabobank), and that certainly has affected me in my decisions about teams going forward. When I signed with Garmin, I wanted opportunities, and time to learn my craft. That's what a smaller team affords."

Dennis is expected to lead Garmin-Sharp at the Tour de Suisse next week and the decision about his participation in the Tour de France will be based on this performance.