After a rocky beginning to his relationship with the Australian national time trial championship, including a heavy crash in 2014 that left him with a permanent scar, Rohan Dennis has well and truly made the title his own.
For three years running, the BMC rider has started the 40.9km out and back course in Buninyong as the favourite and duly delivered. On Thursday, he also started as the fourth rider capable of claiming a third straight green and gold jersey, following Caleb Ewan in the criterium, Callum Scotson in U23 men's time trial, and Katrin Garfoot in the women's time trial. Like the trio before him, Dennis achieved the hat-trick.
"It is more of a pride thing to come here, win it and wear it for the rest of the year. It is an honour more than anything," said Dennis with the green and gold jersey on his shoulders.
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Dennis is starting his sophomore year of his four-year GC project in 2018, but the 27-year-old has continued to excel against the clock in that period. While luck continues to desert him on the big stage, Dennis hasn't lost a time trial he's started in a stage race since stage 7a of the 2016 Tour of Britain, where he finished second having won the road stage in the morning.
With the Tour Down Under and Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race next on the agenda, Dennis will not have another short at time trial glory until Tirreno-Adriatico, where he will prepare for the 2018 Giro d'Italia.
Targeting the Giro d'Italia
Dennis' main goal for the season is to ride for GC at the Italian Grand Tour. The Giro starts with a 9.7km time trial in Jerusalem and provides him with an early opportunity to take time over his climbing rivals and claim the maglia rosa.
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