Australia’s Dennis strikes gold in Commonwealth Games time trial

BIRMINGHAM: Australia’s two-time individual world time-trial champion Rohan Dennis won Commonwealth Games gold on Thursday as former Tour de France winner Geraint Thomas took bronze despite a crash.

Dennis’s victory over the 37.4-kilometre course in 46min 21.24sec made it a clean sweep for Australia after favourite Grace Brown won the women’s event (40min 5.20sec) over 28.8 km.

Dennis, the 2014 Commonwealth silver medallist, made it to the top of the podium after winning in Wolverhampton.

“I’ve finally got that top step,” said the 32-year-old, who won silver in the team pursuit on the track at the 2012 Olympics. “It’s taken 12 years, since Delhi (2010 Games).

“I definitely didn’t come close to that top step there but 12 years later I finally got it. But it is a different feeling being on that top step.”

Thomas’s hopes of adding time-trial gold to the road race title he won in 2014 were dashed when he fell early in the ride.

He picked himself up but had to settle for bronze behind England’s Fred Wright, who took silver.

The 2018 Tour de France winner said he had only himself to blame for the fall.

“I did a recon (reconnaissance) ride, but that was in traffic with no barriers up so it was pretty pointless really.

“I was thinking it was a sweeping left and suddenly it was barriers with a leg sticking out.”

He added: “Sometimes it’s bad luck, but today I’ll take it on the chin and say it was my fault.

“It’s frustrating, but to still come away with a medal is satisfying.”

Thomas, who finished third in the Tour de France last month, has another chance of gold in Sunday’s road race.

However, the 36-year-old faces a formidable rival in the form of the Isle of Man’s Mark Cavendish.

“Once we start it won’t be friendly at all,” said Thomas. “Cav has got a strong team around him and it’s a good course for him. It is going to be a war of attrition.”