Rohan Dennis reveals why he had to take on the Hour Record (video)
Australian says he had to take on the prestigious record after he 'shot his mouth off' at the World Championships last year
Rohan Dennis (BMC Racing) says that he had to make an attempt at the Hour Record after he bragged about being able to beat Jens Voigt's previous record at the Road World Championships in Ponferrada last year.
The Australian will make his attempt on February 8 at the Velodrome Suisse in Grenchen, the same place where Voigt set his record before it was later beaten by Matthias Brändle (IAM Cycling). But Dennis will potentially be chasing a currently unknown target if compatriot Jack Bobridge (Team Budget Forklifts) is able to break the 51.852km record, when he makes his attempt on January 31 at the International Sports Centre in Melbourne.
Those attempts will then be swiftly followed up by Britain's Alex Dowsett (Movistar), who is scheduled to take on the record in London on February 27 if he manages to recover from a collarbone break in time.
Dennis, who was speaking on camera to his team BMC, also said that the UCI's rule change to allow standard aerodynamic bikes was a big factor in his decision, stating that he was not keen on an attempt with the previous rules.
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Follow on Twitter: @richwindy
Richard is digital editor of Cycling Weekly. Joining the team in 2013, Richard became editor of the website in 2014 and coordinates site content and strategy, leading the news team in coverage of the world's biggest races and working with the tech editor to deliver comprehensive buying guides, reviews, and the latest product news.
An occasional racer, Richard spends most of his time preparing for long-distance touring rides these days, or getting out to the Surrey Hills on the weekend on his Specialized Tarmac SL6 (with an obligatory pub stop of course).
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