BMC star Rohan Dennis returns to race in Adelaide cycling series this summer
CYCLING SA has secured a major coup by confirming home-grown international star Rohan Dennis will ride in its elite teams series this summer.
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CYCLING SA has secured a major coup by confirming home-grown international star Rohan Dennis will ride in its elite teams series this summer.
Dennis — who won the Tour Down Under in January, a world title in September and wore the yellow jersey at the Tour de France in July — has received clearance by his BMC Racing Team to line up in three rounds of the CIC Cervelo Super Series in Adelaide.
The 25-year-old will ride as a guest with Team Lightsview in criteriums at Victoria Park on November 26 and December 3 as well as tackling the individual time trial up Norton Summit on December 6.
“It’s good on both parts — for myself and for Cycling SA,” Dennis said.
“It’s exactly where I started and came through so why not try to give something back.
“I’m there primarily for training and hopefully I can help out the race and the series.”
The Olympic silver medallist returned to training today after a four-week break following the world championships where he piloted BMC to victory in the team time trial. He hopes to be fit to contest the individual time trial up Norton Summit before BMC’s training camp in Spain.
“I know it (Norton Summit) pretty well, I’ll have a crack up there and try to take the top time but it depends on whether it’s a block head wind,” Dennis said.
Dennis said he was hopeful of being on the start line to defend his Tour Down Under title in January but BMC is yet to announce its team for the WorldTour season opener from January 16-24.
“I spent a month on the sidelines after the worlds and you know you’ve had a good break when people aren’t throwing food at you,” said Dennis, who also broke cycling’s hour record this year.
“Coming out of the Tour de France I had a six-week block at altitude, one week of racing then worlds.
“It was hard to keep weight on but I’m looking like a normal person again.”
The CIC Cervelo Super Series begins with a criterium at Victoria Park on Thursday, November 5.
reece.homfray@news.com.au
Originally published as BMC star Rohan Dennis returns to race in Adelaide cycling series this summer
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