Name: Rohan Dennis Age: 31 Height: 1.82 m (5.97 ft) Nationality: Australian You’ve had some time to reflect on the Olympics and celebrate with family and friends who couldn’t be there. How do you feel about your performance? I am really happy with my performance at the Olympics. The ultimate goal was obviously to win gold, but the bronze medal feels equally satisfying. I never would have predicted that I would feel this way. With Stage Wins at Tour de Romandie and Volta a Catalunya — what has been your greatest personal achievement on the bike in 2021? Apart from Tokyo, I would say that Romandie as a whole has been my greatest achievement. I had minor surgery due to a saddle issue that hindered my training between Catalunya and Romandie, and had ten days completely off the bike between races. Being able to perform at my best after that was a huge accomplishment for me! Did training for both the Olympics and the INEOS Grenadiers racing calendar in the same year affect your training program? Not a lot has changed in terms of my training. I originally planned to do the Tour de France, but it wasn’t to be this year — that changed my final preparation for Tokyo, but everything else went as planned. How much importance do you place on nutrition when it comes to cycling? Nutrition has recently become a main focus in professional sport. The differences in equipment nowadays are small, but nutrition is much better understood than it used to be, and seems to be the way people make their biggest gains now. What does your night-time routine look like before a race such as the Olympics Individual Time Trial final? How do you make sure you get enough rest and are fully recovered? When I was younger, it was all about how to keep myself relaxed and calm the night before. Now, I think it is important to consider how not to relax too much. I concentrate on keeping things pretty simple — my routine revolves around eating enough of the right things and getting enough sleep without changing my routine too much. I prefer keeping things consistent, just as if I were to have a big training session the next day. Finally, how do you celebrate? What’s your go-to victory meal? My go-to victory meal varies depending on what I’m craving, but it is not usually what we consider ‘healthy’ or ‘nutritious’! Written By Julia Deufel - content writer and consultant Julia runs her own marketing consultancy, working with businesses and non-profits in education, nutrition, fitness and the arts. She also teaches a blend of HIIT and Pilates she developed and is an avid indoor cyclist. Julia is an advocate of effective altruism and believes in the power of sport to change lives.
