There are fairytale endings, and then there is Grace Brown’s final season as a professional bike racer.
It would have been a successful final campaign had she just won Liège-Bastogne-Liège, finally taking that elusive win after two frustrating runner-up finishes. It would have been a great final season had her only victory come in the time trial at the Paris Olympics.
But in the end she didn’t just win those two: she’ll also end her career as the time trial world champion, after another brilliantly paced effort in Zurich on Sunday.
The Australian started as second-last rider down the start ramp, a position earned with her silver medal in Glasgow 12 months earlier. As Brown settled into her rhythm, two things quickly became clear: she was on another great day; and the battle for rainbows would be between her and stage-racing queen Demi Vollering.
The first third of the course featured most of the climbing in the 29.9 km effort, theoretically favouring the stronger climber in Vollering. But at the first time check, at the highest point on course, it was advantage Brown, with the Australian up by six seconds. By the second time check, following a section of technical descending, Vollering has wrested back control, the Dutchwoman then nine seconds to the good.
But on the flat final kilometres, along the shores of the spectacular Lake Zurich, Brown was in her element. The 32-year-old took more than 25 seconds out of Vollering in less than 10 km to earn the first world title of her career.
You can chart a clear progression to the top for Brown. In 2020, in her first Worlds time trial, she was fifth. In 2022, in front of home crowds in Wollongong, Brown powered to second, just 13 seconds off Ellen van Dijk’s gold medal. Even at the time that result felt like a turning point; proof that her dream of a world title was far from far-fetched.
Last year’s Worlds in Glasgow saw Brown inch ever closer. She’d take home another silver medal, but this time just six seconds slower than Chloé Dygert’s winning ride. Everything was pointing towards 2024 Worlds being Brown’s big chance at rainbows. And when she announced in June that the 2024 season would be her last, her big chance became her last chance.
Brown’s ride at the Paris Olympics in July showed that, on her day, few in the world can come close. She showed that again on Sunday, becoming the first rider in history – male or female – to win an Olympic and Worlds time trial in the same year (Remco Evenepoel joined her in that exclusive club later the same day).
Really, Brown’s progression in the Worlds time trial reflects her progress as a rider more generally. After stepping into the WorldTour in 2019, her improvement has been constant, and consistent, right through until the end. From her first win in an international race in 2019 (stage 3 of the Tour Down Under), to her first win in Europe in 2020 (Brabantse Pijl), to her first WorldTour win in 2021 (Brugge-De Panne). From her first “Grand Tour” stage win in 2022 (Ceratizit Challenge by La Vuelta), to her first WorldTour stage race title in 2023 (Tour Down Under), to her zenith in 2024 – the culmination of everything that came before.
That dogged victory in Liège – her first Spring Classics victory – to exorcise the demons of two runner-up finishes. That comprehensive victory in the Olympic time trial, having been just seconds away from a medal in Tokyo three years earlier. And now, a hard-earned world title; an exclamation mark and the end of years of improvement.
“It honestly feels like I’m in a bit of a dream these last couple of months,” Brown said Sunday. “These big goals that seem ambitious – I’ve just been able to get out on the road and do it and realise those dreams.”
While the Worlds ITT was Brown’s final big goal of the year, she isn’t quite done yet. She’s down to represent Australia in the Mixed Relay Team Time Trial at Worlds on Wednesday. And then comes Sunday’s Worlds road race where she’ll likely switch back into domestique mode – a role she’s also excelled in, particularly this season (just ask Évita Muzic).
The obvious question: now that she’s world champion, won’t Brown want to carry on, to have the chance to race in the rainbow skinsuit? On that, the former runner has remained resolute. Australia is calling – she wants to be home with her family, her husband, her friends. “I’m still finishing up at the end of this season,” Brown said on Sunday. “I just feel really lucky to end my career like this. It’s really special.”
As Brown’s fellow pro Sarah Gigante points out in the Escape Collective Discord, there is at least the possibility of seeing Brown race in rainbows before the end of the year. She could race the Chrono des Nations time trial in France in mid October if she really wanted to (she’s never raced it before, and she’d normally be back in Australia by then, so it seems unlikely*). And if she felt so inclined, she could always race the Tour of Bright back in Australia in late November, taking her rainbow bands for a spin in one of Australia’s most beloved amateur races.
But while it would certainly be satisfying to see Brown race in rainbows at least once, she doesn’t owe that to anyone. Few could begrudge her hanging up her wheels next Sunday evening and heading back to Australia soon afterwards, content in the knowledge that she’s going out on top, and on her terms.
After six years at the highest level of the sport Grace Brown will retire as the best time-trialist in the world – the reigning Olympic and world champion. She leaves professional cycling having achieved virtually every goal she set herself in the sport, and having taken her three biggest victories in one final, glorious season – the best year of her career.
It’s hard to imagine a better way to finish up than that.
*Update: Brown has told Escape that she will in fact race the Chrono des Nations in October (“One race in the rainbows!”), in addition to the Tre Valli Varesine one-day race.
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