Rohan Dennis, like most of young cyclists originating from Australia, was regarded as a talented time trial specialist in a first place, but his latest appearance in the Tour of California indicates that the Garmin-Sharp rider has a potential to excel in stage races in the future. Despite having won his first professional week-long event in Alberta last year, the 23-year old Australian claimed that he values more the runner-up stop taken in California and revealed that his biggest objective for the rest of 2014 season would be eventually finishing the grand tour race.

Dennis made himself known as a skilled time trialist, so it came as no surprise that the 23-year old Garmin-Sharp rider regularly clocked podium spots while racing against the clock this season. Before participating in the Tour of California last week, he finished runner-up on three occasions: in Criterium Intertational, Circuit de la Sarthe where he also claimed second place in general classification and in the Tour de Romandie.

The young Australian continued in the same line in California, finishing a time trial runner-up to unattainable Bradley Wiggins (Team Sky), but eventually managed to break a duck in the following day and it was much more than just winning his first race in 2014.

Winning the queen stage of the Tour of California thanks to a perfectly timed attack on steep slopes of Mount Diablo, Dennis proved that he significantly improved his climbing skills without losing any of his power or dynamism. On the contrary, the 23-year old Australian appeared to be more explosive than ever before what indicates that he has a potential to develop as a versatile allrounder in the future.

"Especially after Diablo," he said. "Usually I wouldn't really get to the top. I'd blow two or three kilometers before the whole of last year. Now I was able to stay there and actually do something at the finish and pull it off. It shows that things are possible in the future in WorldTour races with guys like this."

After finishing the ultimate stage of the Tour of California yesterday, Dennis admitted that his appearance in the event, and especially on its queen stage, gave him a huge confidence boost and confirmation that he is ready to excel in the week-long stage races. The Garmin-Sharp rider also pointed out that even though he has already won a stage race, the Tour of Alberta, last year, finishing runner up in California with the big names like Wiggins, Mark Cavendish (Omega Pharma-Quick Step), Peter Stetina (BMC) or Lawson Craddock (Giant-Shimano) in a line-up has more value to him.

"Not to take anything away from that tour, but this is probably more established and higher quality all around," Dennis said in California. "We've got Bradley here and Cavendish, Peter Stetina, Lawson [Craddock]. The list goes on and on. So, really, to get second here is probably more of an achievement for myself."

Asked whether he has ambitions to develop into a grand tour contender, the Garmin-Sharp rider thoughtfully pointed out that his first objective is to finish three-week event for the first time. His race programme for the remaining of the 2014 season is yet to be determined, however, and thus he wasn’t able to answer whether it would be the Tour de France of Vuelta a Espana.

"Obviously, there are a few more years that I need to get under my belt," he said. "I'm good at one week and maybe a week and a half, but it's another huge step up to be able to do three weeks. I think the first goal is to actually finish a Grand Tour."

Without saying is directly, the 23-year old Australian would opt for the French grand tour, not only because of its biggest prestige as the Spanish three-week event overlaps with two American races Dennis would like to participate in: the Tour of Utah and Colorado.

"It will be one of those two," Dennis said. "If it isn't the Tour it will be the Vuelta, which means unfortunately I won't be here for Utah or Colorado. But the Tour is definitely not out of the question yet. That's the goal — whether I do the Tour or the Vuelta — to finish it somewhat not buckled."