ROAD | Brown bags fifth on Worlds TT debut

Photos - Rob Jones

Grace Brown (Mitchelton-Scott) produced a stunning ride to claim a top five finish in the time trial at the 2020 UCI Road World Championships in Imola, Italy. 

"There's always that little hope hidden away that you can like win even if though it's your first World Champs, I was realistically aiming for top 10, so I'm really happy with the results," said Brown, 28, in her debut World Championship time trial. "This is pretty epic. It's sort of the first time that I've really been able to step up on my own accord and ride for myself and show where I stand against the best girls in the world. 

"I always believed that I could be up there with them. But now I can show that with a result."

Brown launched from the start gate to cover the 31.7km course in a time of 41mins 21.3seconds, the fastest time of the day to put her in the hot seat. 

However, Anna van der Breggen (NED) would eclipse the Australian's time and claim the rainbow jersey in a winning time of 40mins 20secs, 15 seconds ahead of Marlen Reusser (Switzerland), with Ellen van Dijk (Netherlands) a further 16 seconds behind. 

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#Imola2020 “I was just wanting to go out and ride my fastest race and not worry too much about everyone else. I think I managed to pace the race, to my strength and to the course. This is pretty epic. It's sort of the first time that I've really been able to step up on my own accord and show where I stand against the best girls in the world. I always believed that I could be up there with them. But now I can show that with a result.” Grace Brown after finishing fifth in the Time Trial World Championships #AusCyclingTeam ? @cyclingaustralia / @canadiancyclist

A post shared by Australian Cycling Team (@australiancyclingteam) on Sep 24, 2020 at 7:35pm PDT

"I was just wanting to go out and ride my fastest race and not worry too much about everyone else," said Brown. "I only got the info that I was up once when Ellen van Dyk when I went through the final checkpoint. It was just a bit of a confidence boost going into the last five kilometres. 

"I had a time in mind that I came in under and I really wanted to push super hard in the first half because it was into a headwind. And I believe that that's where the race was won or lost, really. I think I managed to pace the race, to my strength and to the course."

Brown, a former runner, began her cycling journey in 2015 when, after multiple Cycling Australia National Road Series victories and fifth overall at the 2018 Tour Down Under, Brown was awarded 2018 Amy Gillett Foundation Scholarship. 

In 2018, Brown went on to make her Australian Team debut at the UCI Road World Championships and would contest a host of WorldTour events for Women's WorldTour pro team Mitchelton-Scott. In 2019, Brown claimed the Australian time trial title and a stage of the Santos Tour Down Under but was forced out of the 2019 World Championships due to injury.
 
"We're not here just to participate we're here to be the best and that's what we're trying to do," said Brown, who claimed dual medals at the 2020 Cycling Australia Road National Championships with time trial silver and road race bronze. 

"I think it's a common thing amongst elite athletes to have that belief that you can do something special otherwise we wouldn't be here at all. I think you've got to have that belief to push yourself." 

Brown will now take her place in Saturday's women's road race in an Australian team with Tiffany Cromwell (Canyon–SRAM), Brodie Chapman (FDJ Nouvelle Aquitaine Futuroscope), Lucy Kennedy (Mitchelton-Scott), Shara Marche (nee Gillow) (FDJ Nouvelle Aquitaine Futuroscope), Rachel Neylan (Cronos Casa Dorada Women Cycling) and Sarah Roy (Mitchelton-Scott). 

Amanda Spratt (Mitchelton-Scott) was forced out after injuries sustained in a crash in the Giro Rosa.

"We've built up behind Spratty, and it always been the plan to read for her as our sole leader. So it's a bit of a shake-up to take her out of the equation. But, I think we can use all the strengths that we have amongst us to ride a really smart race. 

"Personally, I haven't had the chance to like, go out around the road course get with the other girls. But I'll be looking at that tomorrow. I'm sure Gene's got to get a good plan in store for us."​

#Imola2020 â–¡â–¡â–¡â–¡â–¡â–¡â–¡â–¡â–¡
What a ride on her World Champs debut for @GLBrown321. She is into the hot seat with fastest time for the day at her finish (41:31.24). #auscyclingteam pic.twitter.com/BRMoWCmX3S

— AusCyclingTeam (@AusCyclingTeam) September 24, 2020