Category: Rohan Dennis

ROAD WORLDS | Dennis dominates to defend world title in Yorkshire

26/9/2019

Photos © Casey Gibson

South Australia's Rohan Dennis emphatically defended his time trial world title in a stunning performance at the 2019 UCI Road World Championships in Yorkshire on Wednesday.

The 29-year-old dominated the 54-kilometre individual race against the clock from start to finish, taking the world champion’s rainbow jersey by more than one minute.

"It might have looked easy out there today, but there has been a lot of work off the bike behind the scenes to get myself ready for today," said Dennis. "I am happy that I have been able to produce what I knew I could to get these rainbows back..

“It really shows that I am not going anywhere. That I am here to win, and I am here to continue winning in the future."

Oliver Dennis cheering on Dad □□□ #Yorkshire2019 #auscyclingteam pic.twitter.com/xlVEmkhrit
— AusCyclingTeam (@AusCyclingTeam) September 25, 2019

The final rider of 57 to take to the 54-kilometre course from Northhallerton to Harrogate, Dennis powered to a 19 second advantage over teenage sensation Remco Evenepoel (Belgium) at the first time check at the 16.7 kilometre mark.

Maintaining a steady rhythm and pace set by his coaches, Dennis extended his margin to more than a minute at the 37-kilometre checkpoint.

Dennis continued his momentum through the technical, undulating sections outside of Harrogate before soaring to a second straight rainbow jersey in a time of 1hour 05:05secs, 68-seconds ahead of Evenepoel with Filippo Ganna (Italy) a further 45 seconds back.

"I only saw the course for the first time last Saturday, and we loved it instantly. My coach Brad said I was made for it," remarked Dennis. "I was confident before the race as I knew we had hit all of the numbers in training.

"So today there was nothing left but to let the legs do the talking. I knew I had done all the work and to execute what I could on the road.

"And I was comfortable with my pace from the start. When I saw I was up by 20 seconds, I felt good. Then I was up by 60, so I knew just had to stay calm, keep a good rhythm and don't take risks down the hill.

"It was a really nice course so whoever designed it, thanks for that - good job!"

“It was absolutely perfect today.”□

- Rohan Dennis □□ talks us through his preparation and World Championship title ride. #Yorkshire2019 pic.twitter.com/3Bdox1sMJZ
— UCI (@UCI_cycling) September 25, 2019

Dennis' preparation for his title defence in Yorkshire was remarkably different to that of twelve months ago with a steady diet of training blocks feeding his pursuit for a second rainbow title.

"It has been the toughest period of my career, it was almost breaking," revealed Dennis, who enjoyed an emotional celebration with wife Melissa and eight-month-old son Oliver at the finish. "To have my family here this year was so special. My wife is an angel.

"While I have been home for the last ten weeks, it has been tough for both of us. There have been testing times, with ten weeks between races, there were a couple of times I'd throw in the towel.

"But I have a lot of great people in my corner, pushing me to keep my head on. So thank you to my wife, my coach, my psychologist.

"It was a team effort, and that's really why I was so emotional. A lot of people helped me get here, so it's great to repay them."

Dennis' considerable winning margin allowed time for a victory salute as he crossed the line, with the Adelaide cyclist pointing to his head as a reminder about what lead him to the victory.

"I was reminding myself today was all in my head," Dennis said. "It was the work I did off the bike on my mental state to make sure I am strong mentally, and that is what got me through today.

"I've done a lot of work with my sports psychologist David Spindler. I mean physically I have always had it, but it was always the negativity in my head thinking not the positive things.

"And out there today I didn't waiver once which I had struggled with all year up until today. That work has been super important, and today, we nailed it."

That’s how you do it. #Yorkshire2019 □EPA pic.twitter.com/k68PFmDIWL
— Melissa Dennis (@MelissaMHoskins) September 25, 2019

In what was his thirteenth consecutive year representing the green and gold, a journey which began with ninth in the junior time trial at the 2007 World Championships, Dennis thanked his supporters in Australia.

"Australia is always backing me through the tough times and the good times," he added. "It is good to have that support from the national body Cycling Australia.

"I have been a part of this team at every World Championships since 2007. It has been a good, long-lasting relationship, so let's keep it going."

Reigning Australian champion Luke Durbridge, the 2009 junior and 2011 under 23 world champion, finished thirteenth, three minutes behind Dennis.

Dennis and Durbridge will now switch the focus to Sunday's 280km road race where they will team with 2015 world championship silver medallist Michael Matthews (Team Sunweb), Simon Clarke (EF Education First), Mitchell Docker (EF Education First), Nathan Haas (Team Katusha Alpecin), Jack Haig (Mitchelton-Scott) and Rory Sutherland (UAE-Team Emirates).

Photos © Casey Gibson

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ROAD WORLDS | Dennis confident ahead of title defence

24/9/2019

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Dennis is confident of defending his rainbows (Photo John Veage)

2019 UCI Road World Championships - Elite Men's Time Trial

Wednesday 25 September
Luke Durbridge - Start time 1.59pm (10.59pm AEST)
Rohan Dennis - Start Time 2.42pm (11.42pm AEST)
Course 54km https://worlds.yorkshire.com/the-races/men-elite-individual-time-trial/
Live broadcast via SBS OnDemand / Cycling Central

On the eve of his world title defence, Rohan Dennis is backing himself for victory in the men’s time trial at the 2019 UCI Road World Championships in Yorkshire on Wednesday.

“My expectations are to back up and win again,” said Dennis. “Worst case scenario it will be a podium, but if things go smoothly and I get the performance out of myself I know I really can, there is no reason why I can’t win.”

In 2018, Rohan Dennis claimed his maiden time trial rainbow jersey with a resounding win at the World Championships in Austria, capping a superb season for the South Australian which included multiple victories in the individual race against the clock.

Dennis’ preparation for Yorkshire 2019 has been remarkably different to that of twelve months ago with a steady diet of training blocks feeding his pursuit for a second rainbow title. Yet despite the lack of racing in his legs, twenty-nine-year-old is buoyed by his performances.

“It has been different lead in to a World Championships than I ever had before, and at times it has been unnerving, but I have had plenty of time to get dialled in,” said Dennis. “But a good ten weeks is a good amount of time to get things ready for a 54-kilometre time trial.

“With ten weeks between races, you don’t know where you are actually at and I haven’t had that exact results-based preparation. So you have to go off feelings, feelings on the bike, numbers on the bike.

“And they are right up there with the best I have ever done in training, so I can’t go off anything but that, but things are looking really positive.

“That’s why I am quite confident that Wednesday will be good.”

The 54-kilometre course from Northallerton to the Harrogate circuit will test the 56 competitors with a fast start, tough early climb and undulating finish.

“There are a lot of things to do, there are a lot of things that Brad has to tell me during the race,” said Dennis, who will be the final rider to leave the start ramp. “It is quite a busy course but I really think it will be a nice one and I am really looking forward to it.

“Not one that will suit a lot of people but I think it will play to my strengths.”

Reigning Australian ITT champion Luke Durbridge is no stranger to the World Championship podium having claimed the crown as a junior in 2009 and under 23 in 2011.

“I really like the course, it is a long challenging course and is going to be very much so about how you pace your effort and will be a course of three parts,” said Durbridge, who will line up for his third career World Championship time trial. “We had a good (time trial course) recon on Saturday, it was the first time we got to see it.

“I am looking forward to seeing it again over the next few days and getting into it on Wednesday.”

Following the time trial, Dennis and Durbridge will team with 2015 world championship silver medallist Michael Matthews (Team Sunweb), Simon Clarke (EF Education First), Mitchell Docker (EF Education First), Nathan Haas (Team Katusha Alpecin), Jack Haig (Mitchelton-Scott) and Rory Sutherland (UAE-Team Emirates) for the punishing 280km men’s road race on Sunday.

#Yorkshire2019
“I really like it. It is a long challenging course, it is going to be about how you pace your effort & will be a course of three parts. I am looking forward to getting into it on Wednesday.”@luke_durbridge1 on the @Yorkshire2019 TT course #auscyclingteam pic.twitter.com/MVAuQb3F30
— AusCyclingTeam (@AusCyclingTeam) September 22, 2019

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TOKYO 2020 | Aussies descend on Mt Fuji

7/8/2019

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Members of the Australian Cycling Team have wrapped up a reconnaissance trip to Japan for a test run on the official Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games cycling road race courses.

Rohan Dennis and Amanda Spratt, both aiming for a third Olympic Games team selection, and Paracyclist Paige Greco who is gunning for a maiden first Paralympic Team nod, covered parts of the course almost a year out from the Games.

“Little bit more humid than what we were expecting, it is obviously quite a nice track, going to be quite fast. I believe it is going to be a race of attrition on this course,” said 2018 time trial world champion Dennis.

The road races will start at Musashinonomori Park in Chofu, western Tokyo, with a 10km neutral zone through urban areas of Tokyo, roads with mountain views and attractive lakes against the backdrop of Mt. Fuji.

After leaving the Tokyo metropolitan area, the routes will take in three prefectures to the west of the capital before the race hits the lower slopes of the iconic Mount Fuji, Japan's highest mountain.

The final stretches of the course will feature challenging terrain before the race culminates with circuits in and around the Fuji Speedway, a motorsport race track located immediately below Mount Fuji.

“Pretty cool to be here, it is an amazing place to have the finish line for the Olympic Games, will certainly be a great spectacle with the grandstands,” Amanda Spratt, 2018 World Championship road race silver medallist.

“It is very different having such wide roads to race on, this is very different for us. But it is about picking which lines to take, so it has been really valuable to be here and ride the course.”

Greco who is aiming for selection to the Australian Paralympic team which will contest the Paralympic Games road race, individual time trial and team relay events, could picture the atmosphere expected in twelve months time.

“Good to come here ahead of the Games to learn about the heat, to feel the atmosphere of being at the track, it is exciting knowing how big it will be next year with the crowd.”

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ROAD WORLDS | Dennis dominates to defend world title in Yorkshire

ROAD WORLDS | Dennis confident ahead of title defence

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ROAD WORLDS | Dennis dominates to defend world title in Yorkshire

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TOKYO 2020 | Aussies descend on Mt Fuji

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