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‘I've been training in 35 and 40 degrees to adapt’
‘Maybe the current high temperatures make the heart beat faster’
A heatwave was no sweat for Tour de France stage one winner Rohan Dennis on Saturday as the Australian blasted round the 13.8-kilometre individual time trial like greased lightning.
Tour de France: Dennis takes yellow jersey after first stage
The BMC Racing Team rider outclassed some of the pre-stage favourites to claim the yellow jersey, clocking an astonishing 55.446 kph average speed -- a new Tour record.
While others flagged in the ferocious heat and humidity in Utrecht, Dennis found it very much to his liking.
"Growing up in Adelaide everyone knows that when it comes to the Tour Down Under it's always going to be a hot week," he told reporters in the Dutch city where huge crowds braved temperatures in the mid 30s Celsius.
"I've been specific about my training, training between 2 and 5pm and that allowed me to get used to the heat.
"I've been training in 35 and 40 degrees to adapt. That was the plan of my team and my coach, so as not to come in blind."
Germany's Tony Martin finished five seconds behind in second place but the Etixx-Quick Step powerhouse was frustrated after targeting the opening stage for a victory.
He said the heat had cost him precious seconds.
"I'm very, very disappointed. I wanted to win. Any other result is a bad one," he said.
"I feel that I couldn't handle the heat, especially in the second half where I felt weaker.
"It was hot but that's the Tour de France, it's in July and this time trial wasn't long enough for me."
Trek's Swiss veteran Fabian Cancellara, starting what could be his final Tour de France having won eight stages during his career, was third, six seconds behind the flying Dennis.
"It was very tiring. The heat was demanding for everyone but even more with a time trial helmet on," the 34-year-old said.
"I did all I could but Rohan has been the best. It was an important race for me because I didn't get a chance to ride the classics this year (through injury).
"But it's no big deal. I've won a fair bit in my career. I race for fun and the Tour is long."
Spain's Alberto Contador, bidding to complete a Giro/Tour double, finished nearly a minute behind Dennis but lost no significant time to his main General Classification rivals.
"Maybe the current high temperatures make the heart beat faster but it wasn't an issue," he said. "A few seconds separate the main rivals and that is, in my opinion, a good thing."
