The 26-year-old BMC Racing Team rider, who failed to finish the Rio 2016 Olympic road race after a crash which followed his handlebars snapping, conquered the short 9.6 kilometre course around Dutch city Breda in 10min 48sec.

It means he has taken the leader's white jersey from Dutch champion Dylan Groenewegen, who sprinted clear to win stage one of the International Cycling Union (UCI) WorldTour race yesterday.

Dennis was five seconds quicker than another Dutch rider, Jos van Emden, who was second in the time trial for LottoNL-Jumbo.

German Jasha Sütterlin, riding for Movistar, finished 14 seconds behind the Australian in third place.

It means Dennis has a combined time at the top of the leaderboard of 4hr 4min 48sec, which is again five seconds quicker than van Emden, who has moved up to second overall.

Slovakian sprint specialist Peter Sagan, who won the inaugural European Road Cycling Championships road race crown in Plumelec in France earlier this week, is third overall, 13 seconds behind Dennis.

He finished eighth in the time trial with many taking advantage of the short circuit.

It was a day to forget for world time trial champion Vasil Kiryienka, however, who turned up late for his start which prompted the clock to start without him.

The Belarusian, riding for Team Sky, eventually started 45 seconds adrift and finished 121st, 1:06 behind Dennis.

Stage three tomorrow follows an 186 kilometre route between Blankenberge and Ardooie in Belgium.