Cycling Australia may as well give Rohan Dennis its coveted ‘Oppy’ award for season 2015 right now.
The South Australian is living up to the huge potential that we all suspected he had, and thoroughly deserves Australia’s most prestigious cycling trophy.
The ‘Oppy’ is awarded each year to the Australian cyclist of the year and has been won in recent times by other road cyclists such as Simon Gerrans, Cadel Evans and Robbie McEwen.
It might be time to add the name Rohan Dennis to that list.
He certainly fulfils the criteria which states the award will go to the best all-round performing cyclist who also displays a high level of sportsmanship and is an ambassador for the sport of cycling.
His closest rival from the road cycling world would be Richie Porte, who has claimed overall victory at Paris-Nice, Volta Ciclista a Catalunya and Giro del Trentino-Melinda. But if we are to follow Cycling Australia’s award criteria, Dennis has to have his nose ahead simply for being the best all-round cyclist.
He has excelled both on the road and on the track this year, and not many cyclists can successfully combine the two.
His stellar performance in the individual time trial on the opening day of the Tour de France was spectacular. It broke a long-standing average speed record and earned the BMC rider his first yellow jersey.
He lost the jersey on a windy Stage 2, caught out by multiple splits in the peloton, but could rest easy as his team leader Tejay van Garderen was safely ensconced in the front group. Team tactics dictated that he shouldn’t chase, and he didn’t.
It has been a season of triumphs for the 25-year-old, one in which he not only claimed the general classification of the season-opening Tour Down Under, but also briefly held the world hour record on the track.
That hardly seemed possible early in January, when a group of concerned cycling journalists watched as the rider they were supposed to be interviewing after the time trial event at the Australian national championships in Buninyong collapsed post race.
On that day a rampant Richie Porte had ridden a stunning race over the undulating course in miserable and cold weather, relegating Dennis to second place and a world of hurt.
Later, after Dennis had recovered sufficiently to sit upright, SBS journalist Anthony Tan asked what the rest of us were thinking. His line of questioning went along the lines of, “How can you expect to break the hour record if you are suffering like this after a 50-minute ride which only covered 40 kilometres?”
He’d finished only eight seconds down on Porte, but it seemed a stretch that this boy struggling to breathe and maintain his balance in a leaky marquee somewhere in the back streets of Buninyong could fight his way to the season that he has.
But he has, and all recognition to him.
It takes more than just luck to win an individual time trial stage at the Tour de France. It takes talent, buckets of the stuff, especially on Day 1 when every time triallist worth their weight in power bars is gunning for not only victory, but a chance to wear the hallowed Maillot Jaune.
And at the Tour that means the best of the best. Tony Martin and Fabian Cancellara are multiple world champions in the time trialling discipline and Cancellara has made a career out of posting great prologue or time trial times early in the Tour to claim the yellow jersey.
To beat both of them into second and third respectively, as Dennis has done, is a stunning effort.
Having said that, Martin and Cancellara still have the edge over Dennis in one very important aspect – killer nickames!
Martin is the ‘Panzerwagen’ as he is as dangerous and unstoppable as an armoured vehicle or a tank!
Cancellara has long been known as ‘Spartacus’, as tough as a gladiator and equally hard to defeat.
Dennis is known as, well, Rohan. And while that is a pleasant enough name it hardly strikes fear into the heart and minds of his opponents.
He needs a memorable nickname and who better to give him one than my fellow Roarers. It would need to be uniquely Australian, something like the ‘Flying Kangaroo’ but with more grit and menace.
So hit me with your suggestions Roarers. Who knows? Something might catch on!
Sean Lee
Expert
Nice! I like it.
Tim Renowden
Expert
Rohan "Drop Bear" Dennis. He looks friendly but he's actually a vicious killing machine.
Sean Lee
Expert
Had a good one come through to me on Twitter. If Martin is the Panzerwagen, then Dennis could be the Holden Stationwagon!
Sean Lee
Expert
Yep,The Menace is a popular choice Steveng. I've had a few suggest that so far. Thanks.
Sean Lee
Expert
Ah, good. What about Rohan the Barbarian?
Sean Lee
Expert
Quite like that Joe. Not the most intimidating animal to be named after, but it does have a ring to it!
Sean Lee
Expert
Boat, ha ha, very inventive. Maybe Dennis could be upgraded to 'Supertanker' or something! (yeah ok, I admit, I'm not very good at this!)
Sean Lee
Expert
Typical Aussie way of creating a nickname there Sam. Don't know if it has a ring to it though!
TonyM
Guest
Well done Aussie How about Rohan...roman.... GLADIATOR !
Joe Frost
Editor
I'm putting in a vote for 'The Quoll'.
DebbieD
Guest
Actually Dennis the Menace is his nickname from his earlier years.
Freycinet1803
Roar Rookie
I couldn't get over the size difference between Dennis and Cancellara / Martin. Dennis looks a lot more balanced than both them, yet he some how manages to get a lot of power out of those legs. I think Dennis excels at these shorter time trials more so, as he doesn't need the big engine that the others have (remember a few years ago he beat Wiggins at the Dauphine in a time trial and it was fairly short too). I do like the name "Menace" although probably not a great name considering he'll be in large pelotons a lot, and no one wants a menace there. We have a Rowan in our team, and his nickname is "boat" ... as in 'row boat'.
steveng
Roar Rookie
Well then you have a 'GO' and give us your name? Don't just criticise, give it a go.
Brendon Vella
Roar Guru
If l was Rohan and trying to find a nickname for myself, l would rather something more original that that though!
steveng
Roar Rookie
I would give him the name of 'Dennis the Menace' because he menaced all the big names in the time trial and they couldn't come near him. That was an amazing ride and we all proud of Rohan for his effort. Its a pity that he was held back on stage 2 and 3 by his team.
Sam Brown
Roar Guru
Gotta make it nice and Australian, I can't think of any thing better than 'Denno'. Also matches the nickname Wiggo, a rider who's track to Tour success Denno is trying to emulate. As for the award unless someone else can win the Tour, Vuelta or World Champions Jersey no one can match the weight of the hour record and prologue win.