Dennis a candidate for racing three World Championship events

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Rohan Dennis is hoping to pull the triple at the upcoming UCI road world championships: riding all three elite men's events. While his main focus is on the individual time trial, he thinks he has a good chance to make the Garmin-Sharp team time trial squad and that he can help the Australian team's captain in the road race.

Dennis, 23, is only in his first pro year but can already boast of his first stage race victory. Last week he won the inaugural Tour of Alberta, winning the second stage and holding on for the overall victory.

He proved himself earlier in the season, too, finishing third in the Tour of California time trial and second in the Criterium du Dauphine time trial, where he also wore the leader's yellow jersey for one stage. Dennis was also up for the Garmin Tour de France squad, only to be eliminated by an injury.

The first of the events at the world championships is the team time trial, where he thinks he is “in he running” for the Garmin squad, he told The Sydney Morning Herald.

''I've said to a lot of people that the goal this year was to make the individual time trial at worlds and the road race is always up in the air,'' Dennis said. ''There are a lot of factors - [such as] … someone maybe more experienced to help out, and they won't have to be directed as much. So I never really expected the road race to be a major option for me this year.

''The time trial comes down to whoever can really put down the power for that distance and the time it will take … There are not as many tactics in it.''

In the road race, he is ready and willing to work for the team leader, which will probably be Cadel Evans or Richie Porte. That is a role he is happy to accept in the 272km race.

''I know I am not in the running to be the leader … I have never raced over 230km. But I hope I am there for the experience and to help whoever is [team leader], which would be huge.''