Rohan Dennis has set himself the ambitious target of becoming double world champion in Richmond. After winning the team time trial with his BMC team, he is beaming with confidence for tomorrow’s time trial.
Last year Rohan Dennis was signed by the BMC team as a rare mid-season transfer. That investment paid dividends immediately as the Australian was the main driving force behind their surprise win at the world team time trial championships in Ponferrada.
This year it has been even more evident that BMC made a major coup by persuading Garmin to allow Dennis to leave. With an overall win in the Tour Down Under, a successful Hour Record attempt, an overall victory in the USA Pro Challenge and most notably a stage win in the opening time trial of the Tour de France, the Australian has been one of the most successful riders this year.
Furthermore, he has firmly contributed to making BMC the undisputed team time trial champions and after winning the TTTs at the Dauphiné, Tour and the Vuelta, the Americans successfully defended their Worlds title last Sunday in Richmond.
“It’s good. We won last year and it is good to defend it this year,” Dennis told CyclingQuotes after the race. “It’s great. Some teams were saying that the weather changed last year. We knew that wasn’t right. This year we just showed that we are the strongest team, especially in team time trials. There was equal weather, equal opportunities to win for everyone.”
The victory has contributed to turning Dennis first full-year at BMC into a marvelous one. For the young Australian, it is even hard to keep track on his incredible success.
“Actually, I feel like they [my wins] weren’t this year,” he said. “It’s that long ago. To be honest, even the Tour de France feels like it was a year ago. This is a little bit different from the Tour. This is six guys, actually seven, that have come together. We have to click and work together. If one guy is off, we all suffer. For all to be good on the day is a really special thing.”
Dennis now turns his attention to Wednesday’s time trial where he is regarded as one of the three big favourites alongside Tony Martin and Tom Dumoulin. He finished fifth in last year’s race and now has set himself an ambitious target.
“I wouldn’t mind another medal. Hopefully it’s gold and hopefully it comes with a white jersey,” he said. “It stung a little bit today but I think the legs are good. You can’t do what we did today without being somewhat fit. At the moment that was a good test for Wednesday and then we’ll see how it goes in the individual.”
Dennis will be the fourth last rider to start the TT at 14.39 local time.
Sophie ENEVER 25 years | today |
Mattias RECK 54 years | today |
Rodney SANTIAGO 36 years | today |
Sivianny ROJAS 36 years | today |
Boas LYSGAARD 20 years | today |
© CyclingQuotes.com