Dennis seals Tour first stage in record speed.
July 8, 2015 The Tour de France commenced on July 4th as well, with Australian Rohan Dennis proving too hot to handle in the initial 13.8 kilometre individual time trial through Utrecht, in the Netherlands.
The BMC Racing Team rider started early and averaged 55.446 kmh to stop the clock in 14 minutes 56 seconds, an unmatched pace that was the fastest average speed ever recorded in a Tour de France individual time trial. He has surpassed Chris Boardman’s 1994 effort over 7km in Lille.
Defending champion Vincenzo Nibali of Italy was 43 seconds slower than Dennis at the event which was watched by about 700,000 people satisfied fans.
Dennis has become the first Australian to win the opening stage of the Tour since Bradley McGee in 2003.