The Rohan Dennis thread

[Anderis]

Nobody was a threat to him, though.

 

[carolina]

So is he going to ride a blacked out BMC bike in every TT from now on? It's ridiculous, what team would want this, appart from DD?

 

[carton]

There is Rohan and then there are all the others. If he had been a couple of years younger, I think he might have had the possibility to challenge Cancellara and Martin as the best modern day time trialists.

It looked like he was wearing a KASK helmet today. Isn't Bahrain Merida wearing Rudy Project normally? Also, I assume the black bike was a BMC?

https://twitter.com/x/status/1176877497075605504

View: https://twitter.com/Doctor_Hutch/status/1176877497075605504


I mean, he's clearly the man right now when it comes to time-trialing. But he might need to start an actual Team Dennis with his personal sponsors.

 

[Willy_Voet]

So is he going to ride a blacked out BMC bike in every TT from now on?

I hope so. Nothing like making a stink and backing it up with your legs. Good on him.

 

[jmdirt]

Congrats RD!

HMMM...

 

[JosephK]

Rohan looked awesome today. It looks like he regrouped after the TDF, figured out what he was going to do, and made good on his goal. He looked as awesome this year as last year. Not sure one performance was better than the other. I.e., if last year's Rohan had competed in this year's ITT, I think the result would have been the same, and vice versa.

 

[carolina]

I hope so. Nothing like making a stink and backing it up with your legs. Good on him.

Backing what? We would have won on a merida bike and with the rudy helmet.

The legs are what matter. His problem is only in his head. I understand if he likes the BMC better, but I highly doubt that it would have made that big of a difference.

 

[MatParker117]

Apparently he "can't confirm" he'll be at Bahrain next year, I imagine a few teams are interested.

 

[42x16ss]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1176877497075605504

View: https://twitter.com/Doctor_Hutch/status/1176877497075605504


I mean, he's clearly the man right now when it comes to time-trialing. But he might need to start an actual Team Dennis with his personal sponsors.

The aero-weenies over at Slowtwit keep banging on about the Rudy Project TT helmets being very slow, as well as uncomfortable for certain head shapes.

Maybe they're right...

 

[Willy_Voet]

Backing what? We would have won on a merida bike and with the rudy helmet.

The legs are what matter. His problem is only in his head. I understand if he likes the BMC better, but I highly doubt that it would have made that big of a difference.

Doesn't matter if it was in his head or the bike or the helmet, the sports beverage or dimples on his skinsuit. He won. There's a certain panache to that.

 

[Koronin]

He did back up what he said today with his TT ride. Now, yes, it's highly possible much of what his issues with the Merida TT bike are are in his head, but that can account for issues.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

So is he going to ride a blacked out BMC bike in every TT from now on? It's ridiculous, what team would want this, appart from DD?

He must be BMC’s favourite cyclist given that (a) he won big at the ITT for them and (b) he keeps bringing their bike great publicity even after they stopped paying him. Maybe they will give DD some extra cash to sign him

 

[Red Rick]

He must be BMC’s favourite cyclist given that (a) he won big at the ITT for them and (b) he keeps bringing their bike great publicity even after they stopped paying him. Maybe they will give DD some extra cash to sign him

Or pay him to ride a different bike, throw hissy fits, then win Olympics on BMC bike

 

[42x16ss]

He did back up what he said today with his TT ride. Now, yes, it's highly possible much of what his issues with the Merida TT bike are are in his head, but that can account for issues.

I still think Dennis has fit issues with the Merida Warp. BMC does at least 4 sizes of Time Machine while Merida has the Warp in only 3, with the medium expected to cater for a large range of riders. Merida can't even provide a geometry chart.

It was posted earlier in this thread that Dennis's position had changed this year, with his head and hands lower and further from his body. I'm not too surprised that the bike really doesn't work for HIM.

Not to say that it can't for others with a body size and shape more suited to it.

 

[RedheadDane]

It was posted earlier in this thread that Dennis's position had changed this year, with his head and hands lower and further from his body. I'm not too surprised that the bike really doesn't work for HIM.

So, like... he's stretching his neck out more. Doesn't a person's head usually maintain a constant distance from their body?

 

[42x16ss]

So, like... he's stretching his neck out more.

Yes, that's how I meant it

 

[Koronin]

I still think Dennis has fit issues with the Merida Warp. BMC does at least 4 sizes of Time Machine while Merida has the Warp in only 3, with the medium expected to cater for a large range of riders. Merida can't even provide a geometry chart.

It was posted earlier in this thread that Dennis's position had changed this year, with his head and hands lower and further from his body. I'm not too surprised that the bike really doesn't work for HIM.

Not to say that it can't for others with a body size and shape more suited to it.

Actually that does make a lot of sense. I have fit issues with all but Specialized's WDS road bikes. I have an easier time with men's road bikes as long as the bike company makes basically what is an XS bike ( 42cm to 48cm depending on how the company measures it). The best fit road bike I've found for me is Felt's. I'm sure I'd have an even bigger issue with a TT bike, just don't really have a need to purchase one.

 

[42x16ss]

Actually that does make a lot of sense. I have fit issues with all but Specialized's WDS road bikes. I have an easier time with men's road bikes as long as the bike company makes basically what is an XS bike ( 42cm to 48cm depending on how the company measures it). The best fit road bike I've found for me is Felt's. I'm sure I'd have an even bigger issue with a TT bike, just don't really have a need to purchase one.

It's the only logical reason I can find for Dennis to be so put off by the Merida TBH. The shape is slippery, the composites would be good enough, weight is about right - that really only leaves the geometry IMHO.

 

[dastott]

Yes, it probably is the geometry. Merida make bikes for Specialized (and some other brands too I think) and are a decent manufacturer so it must be something very specific to Dennis. Will be very interesting to see what unfolds now.

 

[sir fly]

Bahrain-Merida Team should sort that out.
Dennis' departure might be a bigger loss than expanding the frame range or any other piece of equipment.

 

[carton]

Bahrain-Merida Team should sort that out.
Dennis' departure might be a bigger loss than expanding the frame range or any other piece of equipment.

I mean, from a business perspective, his departure is likely not a loss anymore. Star riders generate publicity, but, for the team as a business, the point of generating publicity is to create value for the team's sponsors. Bahrain Merida might have been hoping they could turn this around and get him to commit to riding the Warp, at the very least, for next season. Otherwise, his departure is actually a win for them financially. He is literally generating negative publicity for both Merida and Rudy Project, the latter fairly intentionally and overtly.

I would think that today was the day he crossed the Rubicon. At this point, the team could be destroying its own reputation, with not only their current sponsors but any potential future sponsors, particularly equipment sponsors, by continuing to support him. Ironically enough, if team management can leave their own egos behind they probably should try to give him a sweetheart send-off in exchange for some kind of commitment from him to stop trashing their sponsors. Maybe there are other considerations at play, but the way I see things right now that might be as close to a win-win for everyone as you can hope for.

 

[dastott]

In the past star riders used to get custom geometry road bikes but Peter Sagan is the last example I can think of. I wonder if Dennis was pushing for that. Changing helmet supplier from Rudy Project is probably not an option either. Can't see how Dennis has a future on the team despite this impressive victory.

 

[42x16ss]

How much wiggle room does Lefevere have? The Shiv is meant to be the one bike comporable to the Time Machine and Lefevere can handle egos.

 

[sir fly]

I mean, from a business perspective, his departure is likely not a loss anymore. Star riders generate publicity, but, for the team as a business, the point of generating publicity is to create value for the team's sponsors. Bahrain Merida might have been hoping they could turn this around and get him to commit to riding the Warp, at the very least, for next season. Otherwise, his departure is actually a win for them financially. He is literally generating negative publicity for both Merida and Rudy Project, the latter fairly intentionally and overtly.

I would think that today was the day he crossed the Rubicon. At this point, the team could be destroying its own reputation, with not only their current sponsors but any potential future sponsors, particularly equipment sponsors, by continuing to support him. Ironically enough, if team management can leave their own egos behind they probably should try to give him a sweetheart send-off in exchange for some kind of commitment from him to stop trashing their sponsors. Maybe there are other considerations at play, but the way I see things right now that might be as close to a win-win for everyone as you can hope for.

Yeah.
Since the Tour and after his latest title, there's not much positive publicity the team can relate to.
I'm referring more to the fact they have a champion under the contract and can always market anything they come up with.
Looks to me it's personal to a certain degree. No way any rider would so openly show dissatisfaction unless he's been personally offended. I might be wrong, of course.
We'll see. Gonna be intriguing in any case... of the buyout or compromise.

 

[IndianCyclist]

IMHO they should let him go like Sunweb did for their top stars as long as they dont have any cost involved. That way both are happy. 2020 being olympic year, i doubt he wants to screw it up by not being alllowd to race