On Winning an Olympic Cycling Gold Medal - Sarah carrigan with bobby mcgee - Part 2 of 7

Sara: With training it was just a natural progression for me to say, We'll I want to be the best that I can be in this sport. Bobby: Okay. And then going into that, that first Olympic games obviously Cycling is so tactical and it's so, so you know? driven by what transpires on the day and you need a whole lot of things to go right before you, to win a gold but did it uh... you know? were you going there specifically saying that I want enough on the podium or did you, were you aiming to win it or? Sara: Well that's the difficult thing with Cycling is that it is very much things forward and we went in there with a team that had a chance to win with the 3 of us Bobby: Ah Okay. Sara: So Because of that, we had the knowledge, we had the experience, we had that instinct between us to be able to work as team members. So we went in with a few different team plans. But it was all about how we could bounce off each other to give Australia the gold medal, not so much the individual. And we put ourselves in the position where we can play the right cards to make that happen. So it happened on this particular day that it was made I took the Gold home for Australia. Bobby: Ah Okay. And so do you, is there any kind of deciding like a you know? two or work courses defend the other one, or were you nominated as the one that if it didn't work out would be sent off the front? Sara: Well in the Beijing Olympics? Yeah! We had We had one one of the girls that was working for the other two. Whereas in Athens, it was more about, Okay all of us have a chance here to win. So let's put ourselves in these positions to give Australia the best chance to medal. And we successfully did that. Bobby: So when I put up this video, what I'm gonna do is put up that url of of you winning the race. But just take us through you know? that last section where where it came down to just the two of you and what have transpired just before that when when you'd actually had had to catch the main bunch again? Sara: Yeah. Those a little breakaway of seven riders and part of that, the tactics of Australia were. Well if we can have numbers, then we're gonna increase our chance of winning. So one of the Australian Girls Oenone Wood was in that break and so to increase those, those chances we needed to have another one in there. And I took the opportunity to bridge across from the main group to that late group. I got across solo, and then once I was there we had a quick chat then Oenone, my teammate was one of the best sprinters in the world at that time. So we needed to play our cards right in, for me to attack, which then would expand the energy of the other countries and if I was caught then that would be a little bit more tired Which then meant that Oenone would have fresh legs to be able to go for the sprint. If they didn't catch me then I would be able to, to go for the win. Bobby: Okay, Okay. Sara: So in attacking, I was provided an opportunity Bobby: Okay, Okay. for both myself and my team if It came back together Bobby: And you did a solo attack? Sara: I did a solo attack and then with about 13 kilometres to go. And then the German girl eventually bridge across to me and she knew that Oenone back in that group was one of the best sprinters Bobby: Yeah Sara: So Bobby: It was in her best interest to keep her away Sara: Yes Bobby: Okay Sara: So I could use that and try and use that to my... the fullest okay Sara: So I did a few turns on the most on the whole, she did most of the work and therefore I was able to come around her and sprint for the win.