Dennis: Weight an issue in Abu Dhabi Tour defeat

When Movistar’s Alejandro Valverde crossed the hilltop finish at Jebel Hafeet just ahead of Colombian rival Miguel Ángel López (Astana) in the fifth and final stage of the 2018 Abu Dhabi Tour (UCI 2.UWT) on Sunday, penultimate stage time trial winner and race leader Rohan Dennis (BMC Racing) was nowhere in sight.

The 27-year-old South Australian battled across the line 1 minute 43 seconds later in 23rd position to drop the red leader’s jersey to 37-year-old race winner Valverde, who trailed Dennis by 24 seconds at the start of the day in Al Ain.

According to Dennis, who has been racing since the Australian nationals in which he won his third consecutive individual time trial title before piloting teammate Richie Porte (AUS) to a second-place finish at the Tour Down Under two weeks later, form and weight may have caused his undoing on the climb.

“I’m not completely in form, I’m in the range were I need to be in for February, but obviously, I have a few things I need to work on before May,” said Dennis after the race.

A few extra pounds could sensibly make a difference on a 199-kilometre day with the last final 10.8km rising nearly 800 metres in elevation to 1,025 metres above sea level with gradient averages hovering between eight to nine percent with a max of 11.

“I look skinny but the scales don’t say I am, I’m not 100 percent sure what my optimum weight is, but I know when I’m going well,” the 2015 Tour Down Under winner explained. “I’m normally about 70kg, more or less, but that’s only been for a one week tour not a three-week. Now I’m around 73 or 74, depending on the scales.”

Overall, the Giro-bound Tour de France stage winner is pleased despite the defeat on the summit.l

“All around, I’m fairly happy,” he claimed. “I would’ve been happier if it was a better result, but the whole mental battle of keep going and don’t’ stop when your dropped is what we’re working on and that’s more important at the moment.”

For final stage and race results, click here.