This is the time of year when Grace Brown would normally be starting her rebuild, working back to fitness for that Australian block of racing in January where the national titles are decided and home crowds get a chance to cheer roadside. But this time things are very different.
Retirement from professional cycling after a dream year – the 32-year-old became an Olympic gold medallist, claimed the individual time trial World Championships and a monument too at Liège-Bastogne-Liège – means that routine is broken.
No longer does she have to work up toward an early start to a new year of racing, or brace for another long stretch away from her life in Australia with her husband Elliot, family and friends.
When Brown came home to Melbourne after the end of the European season, it was for good.
“It’s a weird sort of process, coming down from everything and changing habits around exercise and all the other lots of little decisions in the day were affected by the fact that riding my bike was my career and purpose for a long time,” Brown told Cycling News.
“So, it’s quite a big change mentally as well, but yeah I’m loving being back home and knowing that I don’t have to rush away again anytime soon.”
Though retirement certainly doesn’t mean her attachment to the sport or her role within it has ended.
Even before she had ridden her last race with FDJ-SUEZ, Brown had already taken on the position of President at the Cyclists Alliance riders association to try and help play a part in the progression of women’s cycling. Now she’s also signed up as an ambassador at the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race.
“I want to stay connected with the sport. These things that I’m doing are all part of making sure that I just don’t … disappear, I guess,” she said with a laugh.
The Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race is as close as it gets to a home-town showing for Brown and as a result holds a special place for the rider.
“I’ve always really loved this race and it’s also got a bit of a community aspect to me, since I grew up in Camperdown, Geelong and the region around here is somewhere that I spent quite a bit of time as a young person,” said Brown.
“There is the cycling community aspect – to stay involved and to be close to the Australian racing scene and all the people involved in that.”
Instead of racing among the professional WorldTour peloton at the event, where Brown first lined up at in 2017, she’ll be enjoying the recreational ride of the route surrounded by around three thousand cyclists of all ages and abilities.
“Grace inspired the nation earlier this year at the Paris Olympics and having her on the start line for the People’s Ride is an incredible opportunity for cycling fans to ride alongside an Australian champion,” said Cadel Evans.
The new role is far from the extent of her involvement in cycling and community events, as plenty want a chance to celebrate Brown’s success.
The Olympic Games gold in particular has raised her prominence in a nation where the focus on cycling is far from intense, except of course when it yields a medal at that once in every four year event or, as is the case with her fellow race ambassador, a yellow jersey at the Tour de France.
“It’s really nice being back and and the Australian public getting their opportunity to celebrate the Olympics and other stuff, a little bit. Lots of friends and family are also really excited as they haven’t seen me since then, so, yeah, it’s probably not as crazy as if I came back straight afterward but it’s a nice level,” said Brown, who is now having to adjust to being recognised in the street.
The other items on the agenda for Brown in the next couple of weeks include a civic reception in Camperdown and beaming in for an appearance at the Tour of Bright pre-event festivities.
The biggest agenda item for the retiring rider, who admits with a laugh that she doesn’t sit down much, will hopefully remain enjoying the lifestyle that up until now, she has “put on hold”.
