The Rohan Dennis thread

[Mayomaniac]

Really impressive today, he seems to do really well at high altitude.
I still don't know about his gc aspirations in a gt, but he had his best ever performance on a mountain stage on the hardest mountain stage of the race and the 4th consecutive hard gc stage. Last year he also rode a really respectable Giro before cracking on the final 2 mountain stages and the Tour field doesn't look that strong, he could finish inside the top 10.

 

[DanielSong39]

One thing is for sure, he has made better than expected progress as a GC rider. The old Dennis would not have rode for GC and focused strictly on the two time trials (and probably smashed them both).

 

[Danskebjerge]

Re:

I love the title.

Yeah, but he wasn't a real thread to Bernal on the final stage. :razz:

 

[dastott]

Starting to believe. Yes, Suisse was a weak field but he put minutes into them, and seemed to get stronger at the end. Hopefully he finally becomes another TT guy like Dumoulin, Thomas and Roglic who can challenge for GTs.

 

[Escarabajo]

Re: Re:

Nice ride by Dennis today and for most of the TdS. Three passes over 2,000 metres and even briefly put Bernal under pressure. I have never seen him do that kind of ride before. TdF will be interesting teaming up with Nibali - hopefully Pozzi is there as he was great this week. Hopefully Dennis can hold it together for three weeks. If so, a top 10 should be possible?

If he rides like this week and doesn't have a bad day, i'd definitely say top 10 is possible, and more. But he'll have to prove himself over 3 weeks against a better field.

What? if he rides like this and doesn't have a bad day top ten is possible? This is another transformation from one of the big guys.
Once his full transformation is completed we will have Froome, Thomas, Dennis, Roglic and Dumo winning the Tours. Froome crashed and is aging. Thomas is aging as well and drinks too much. But the other ones are kicking hard.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Re: Re:

Nice ride by Dennis today and for most of the TdS. Three passes over 2,000 metres and even briefly put Bernal under pressure. I have never seen him do that kind of ride before. TdF will be interesting teaming up with Nibali - hopefully Pozzi is there as he was great this week. Hopefully Dennis can hold it together for three weeks. If so, a top 10 should be possible?

If he rides like this week and doesn't have a bad day, i'd definitely say top 10 is possible, and more. But he'll have to prove himself over 3 weeks against a better field.

What? if he rides like this and doesn't have a bad day top ten is possible? This is another transformation from one of the big guys.
Once his full transformation is completed we will have Froome, Thomas, Dennis, Roglic and Dumo winning the Tours. Froome crashed and is aging. Thomas is aging as well and drinks too much. But the other ones are kicking hard.

Is there any specific reason why you stopped reading and "bolding" at specifically that point, without reading the next two words? And without reading the post i was responding to? Or does that make too much sense?

Cookster15: "If so, a top 10 should be possible?"
me: "top 10 is possible, and more"
you: "What?"

 

[Cookster15]

Re: Re:

Nice ride by Dennis today and for most of the TdS. Three passes over 2,000 metres and even briefly put Bernal under pressure. I have never seen him do that kind of ride before. TdF will be interesting teaming up with Nibali - hopefully Pozzi is there as he was great this week. Hopefully Dennis can hold it together for three weeks. If so, a top 10 should be possible?

If he rides like this week and doesn't have a bad day, i'd definitely say top 10 is possible, and more. But he'll have to prove himself over 3 weeks against a better field.

What? if he rides like this and doesn't have a bad day top ten is possible? This is another transformation from one of the big guys.
Once his full transformation is completed we will have Froome, Thomas, Dennis, Roglic and Dumo winning the Tours. Froome crashed and is aging. Thomas is aging as well and drinks too much. But the other ones are kicking hard.

What transformation? It has been a gradual transition. Dennis made his ambitions clear at BMC. Many laughed or in my case wish he didn't speak of his ambitions. But it seems BM are allowing Dennis to continue the development into a GC rider which started under BMC. He is still only 29, has lost some weight and obviously has been working on his climbing.

I am interested to see how high a level Dennis can maintain over three weeks. It will also be good to see him combine with Nibali even if he rides in support. Dennis is also a diesel so if he's climbing well enough should not be troubled by any acceleration similar diesel Geraint Thomas might do (Bernal is a different matter of course).

 

[JosephK]

In one of the recent articles on Cycling News, is Rohan suggesting that maybe he will not be going for GC in the TDF but focus on trying to win a stage or stages instead?

"It's the Tour de France and it's a whole other level," Dennis said. "I'm not sure why I've got good form here ... it just happened. Sometimes you can't put [your] finger on why you're going so well. I'm going to take it as it is, be happy with this result and look towards the Tour for stages."

Here's the link: http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/dennis-surprises-himself-with-second-overall-at-tour-de-suisse/

 

[Rollthedice]

In one of the recent articles on Cycling News, is Rohan suggesting that maybe he will not be going for GC in the TDF but focus on trying to win a stage or stages instead?

"It's the Tour de France and it's a whole other level," Dennis said. "I'm not sure why I've got good form here ... it just happened. Sometimes you can't put [your] finger on why you're going so well. I'm going to take it as it is, be happy with this result and look towards the Tour for stages."

Here's the link: http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/dennis-surprises-himself-with-second-overall-at-tour-de-suisse/

He didn't get the memo about Nibali not targeting the GC .

 

[topcat]

In one of the recent articles on Cycling News, is Rohan suggesting that maybe he will not be going for GC in the TDF but focus on trying to win a stage or stages instead?

"It's the Tour de France and it's a whole other level," Dennis said. "I'm not sure why I've got good form here ... it just happened. Sometimes you can't put [your] finger on why you're going so well. I'm going to take it as it is, be happy with this result and look towards the Tour for stages."

Here's the link: http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/dennis-surprises-himself-with-second-overall-at-tour-de-suisse/

He didn't get the memo about Nibali not targeting the GC .

That memo has been shredded

 

[Escarabajo]

Re: Re:

Nice ride by Dennis today and for most of the TdS. Three passes over 2,000 metres and even briefly put Bernal under pressure. I have never seen him do that kind of ride before. TdF will be interesting teaming up with Nibali - hopefully Pozzi is there as he was great this week. Hopefully Dennis can hold it together for three weeks. If so, a top 10 should be possible?

If he rides like this week and doesn't have a bad day, i'd definitely say top 10 is possible, and more. But he'll have to prove himself over 3 weeks against a better field.

What? if he rides like this and doesn't have a bad day top ten is possible? This is another transformation from one of the big guys.
Once his full transformation is completed we will have Froome, Thomas, Dennis, Roglic and Dumo winning the Tours. Froome crashed and is aging. Thomas is aging as well and drinks too much. But the other ones are kicking hard.

Is there any specific reason why you stopped reading and "bolding" at specifically that point, without reading the next two words? And without reading the post i was responding to? Or does that make too much sense?

Cookster15: "If so, a top 10 should be possible?"
me: "top 10 is possible, and more"
you: "What?"

Good. my apologies. I meant "and more" as well.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Yes, i figured as much

 

[tobydawq]

My God I'm not impressed about the mentality of this rider!

This is the second Grand Tour in a row where he is just floating around, not lifting a finger just to be fresh for the ITT. In the Vuelta, he just abandoned when he had won that, I wonder if he will do that as well here (he won't win it, though).

In the Vuelta he already began these shenanigans on the very second stage, when in the race lead. Then he just gruppettoed. No fight, no trying to honour the leader's jersey.

And again in the Tour, no trying to do anything even if he JUST showed in Switzerland how well he is currently climbing.

Unless his form has seriously decreased since then, I really think his mentality is less than admirable.

 

[KZD]

I totally agree with you.
At least in the Vuelta last year, he had already fought for GC in the Giro but trying to keep the leader's jersey for a few days wouldn't hurt his WC preparation however this year I can't really understand why he doesn't even try.
I just hope Van Aert beats him in the TT.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

I hope van Aert is fresh enough. Suisse showed Dennis isn't in prima forma for ITT's, but still, it's not Moscon or Castroviejo we're talking about.

 

[F_Cance]

Re:

I hope van Aert is fresh enough. Suisse showed Dennis isn't in prima forma for ITT's, but still, it's not Moscon or Castroviejo we're talking about.

wrong. The wind changed and he was the fastest of the late starters with the same conditions.

 

[tobydawq]

Re: Re:

I hope van Aert is fresh enough. Suisse showed Dennis isn't in prima forma for ITT's, but still, it's not Moscon or Castroviejo we're talking about.

wrong. The wind changed and he was the fastest of the late starters with the same conditions.

As well he should be! The guy obliterated everybody the entire last season in the time trials.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Re: Re:

I hope van Aert is fresh enough. Suisse showed Dennis isn't in prima forma for ITT's, but still, it's not Moscon or Castroviejo we're talking about.

wrong. The wind changed and he was the fastest of the late starters with the same conditions.

Are you taking the piss? He was barely faster than Bernal who rode under the same conditions, dude. Please.

 

[hayneplane]

Got to agree with Tobydawg. For a rider so clearly in capable climbing form in Switzerland for him to not even bother to try to hold a good position in GC while in a team with no Tour focused GC Captain is simply feeble.

Hiding in the pack for the duration and only caring about the ITT shows a lack of respect for the race. Hopefully WVA will spank him in the time trial

 

[HelloDolly]

Re:

Got to agree with Tobydawg. For a rider so clearly in capable climbing form in Switzerland for him to not even bother to try to hold a good position in GC while in a team with no Tour focused GC Captain is simply feeble.

Hiding in the pack for the duration and only caring about the ITT shows a lack of respect for the race. Hopefully WVA will spank him in the time trial

People you dont know what his team order were ....stop blaming the rider until you do

 

[movingtarget]

Seems like he is there for one reason. To win the TT

 

[yaco]

Nothing wrong with Dennis targetting the ITT, especially seeing Nibali is not targetting GC - Strange that other riders can ride 'dead' for 18 stages and then target 3 stages and they are labelled as 'geniuses' if they succeed.

 

[dastott]

Definitely a shame, was hoping to see Dennis continue his ‘transformation’ to GC guy. Seemed like a great opportunity with Nibali cooked and no other GC riders in the team. He was looking good in Suisse.

 

[tobydawq]

Re:

Nothing wrong with Dennis targetting the ITT, especially seeing Nibali is not targetting GC - Strange that other riders can ride 'dead' for 18 stages and then target 3 stages and they are labelled as 'geniuses' if they succeed.

What will you say if he abandons after the ITT?

 

[hayneplane]

Re: Re:

Got to agree with Tobydawg. For a rider so clearly in capable climbing form in Switzerland for him to not even bother to try to hold a good position in GC while in a team with no Tour focused GC Captain is simply feeble.

Hiding in the pack for the duration and only caring about the ITT shows a lack of respect for the race. Hopefully WVA will spank him in the time trial

People you dont know what his team order were ....stop blaming the rider until you do

The lack of respect for the race is still there whether it is a team order or a rider choice.