Rohan Dennis still has eyes on World Hour Record
Dec 14 2016 08:39 pm CET
SUBSCRIBE TO RSS FEEDSAustralian rider Rohan Dennis of BMC Racing Team is determined to have another go at the World Hour Record in the future.
Dennis broke the record in February of 2015 but was outdone by Briton Alex Dowsett less than three months later. Bradley Wiggins went on to break the record in June of the same year, although the record has since not been broken.
Dowsett recently indicated that he wants to have another attempt at recovering the world record. Dennis, asked by CyclingPub during BMC's media day in Spain, affirmed that he feels the same way.
"Soon," he said. "Well, soon in the sense of not waiting 15 years like when [Jens] Voigt did it (at age 43), but about four of five years. I think the whole reason behind that is that I just need to get older and stronger. A lot of people say you need to wait, to ride on the track. In a way that's true but I think you just need to be strong. I don't necessarily lose power when I get lighter.
"It's been said in front of Jim [Ochowicz, manager of BMC Racing Team] and he says 'ah no, not yet, give it a few years' and I tell him 'don't worry, I'm not thinking of the next two or three years'. I'd push more for 30 plus. But I'm not gonna wait till 35 either."
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Photos by Mary Cárdenas / CyclingPub.com
As for the nearer future, the first half of the 2017 season will largely be about Dennis' Giro d'Italia campaign. He's set to ride the Italian grand tour in a free role.
"I've had my meeting with the directors and Jim, and the Tour isn't off the table but we're playing for the Giro and I'll go in there basically looking after myself and freelancing a little bit. In a way I'll be working on the GC for myself but without the team support. They'll be there for Tejay [Van Garderen] and I'll sort of float around," he explained.
The experience will give Dennis a chance to feel what it is like to ride for his own classification in a grand tour.
"It's a good way to start. I wouldn't say it's an easier grand tour parcours-wise as it's probably harder, but it's a more open race and the level probably isn't as high as a whole."
Dennis is aware of the difficulties many riders face in the third week of the Giro and aims to take it things a bit easier in the approach of the race.
"I'll probably come in a little bit fresher. I have those Australian races with the Tour Down Under, the nationals and Cadel's race. Then I'll get over to Europe and start pretty easy. I'll stay away from the French racing more and stick to the Tirreno and the Trentino. I'll also find my way in those races because they will no doubt be similar to the Giro d'Italia, but obviously just one week. The key is to not come in flying for the first week, to have some room to move."
Another potential target for later in the season is the World Time Trial Championship in Bergen, Norway.
"Winning a World Time Trial Championship this year would be great. I've seen that it probably suits me a little better than what it did in Qatar. Depending on what my schedule is in the second half of the season I'll probably go after that. But if not, I'm sure that the team will want me in the team time trial and we'll try to fit that in instead."
