The Australian rider Rohan Dennis has announced that he will attempt to beat the Hour Record this season. He said that during a training camp in Denia, Spain. At the beginning of this month, he finished second to Richie Porte at the Australian time-trial titles.

“I don’t remember a whole lot of the best time-trials and pursuits I’ve ever done. I just switch the brain off,” he told Cycling Weekly. “You could probably say I’m borderline vegetable, just my body is still going. In the good pursuits I’ve done I just zone out and then snap back with a couple of laps to go when the coach is getting excited or what not. Hopefully I can get into that frame of mind and it should be all good.”

Jack Bobridge will attempt the Hour Record on January 31. “Jack will be a good indication as to what is possible for myself,” he said. “He had great form at nationals and he is a threat but I still am confident that I can go faster. For him to go before me can be of benefit as long as I don’t let it consume me mentally and try and use his benchmark as a be all or end all. I still have to race my race, stick to what I’m good at, instead of trying to do what he did, and then a little bit more.”

On February 27, the Commonwealth champion Alex Dowsett will try to beat the record. But the main rival is Bradley Wiggins who has also decided to write his name to the growing list of challengers. “I honestly think that if Wiggins doesn’t beat one of us young guys it could stand for a long time,” Dennis said. “There are a lot of people saying us young guys are just trying to get in before Wiggins, or [Tony] Martin or [Fabian] Cancellara. Okay, they’re better time-trialers than us on the road … but if you don’t have that feel for the track it does make it a lot harder.”

“I want to do it probably twice in my career,” he said of the Hour Record. “Right now I’ve got a good two years under my belt as a professional and I think I’ve got a lot stronger since London. Hopefully I get it and have it for at least a couple of months. If not, no worries, I’ll come back later in my career, try again and make it a mark that won’t be broken for a long time. The team says 52.5 should be possible when you look at my numbers and aerodynamics,” he continued. “I never like to put a number on it to be completely honest … but I like to reach a little bit higher than what’s expected so hopefully I can surprise a few people.”