The 2016 season could hardly have started any better for Gracie Elvin who enjoyed a new year's day win at the Mitchelton Bay Cycling Classic in Geelong to set up overall victory and see the Orica-AIS rider add her name to list of winners that includes the who's who in recent Australian cycling history.
Pushing for Rio Olympic Games selection, a good start to the season was key to Elvin's chances of making the team but the 27-year-old also knew consistency in Europe would keep her in contention for a plane ticket to Brazil.
With the departure of Emma Johansson at the end of 2015, Elvin and teammate Amanda Spratt have taken on greater responsibility and become key riders for the Australian team. The change in roles is one that Elvin has thoroughly enjoyed over the opening five months of the season as she explained to Cyclingnews from a team training camp in Tuscany last week.
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"I've definitely stepped up again this year which is exciting and one of my goals was consistency as I probably mentioned to you last year," Elvin said of her 2016 season thus far which has included fifth place overall at the Ladies Tour of Qatar and second place at the Women's WorldTour Ronde van Drenthe race, doing her Rio claims no harm.
"Being able to go into every race and be competitive with the best girls has been pretty awesome and I am happy with how I am tracking with that. I am yet to get a win but I am definitely closer now than ever and it was awesome to get that WorldTour podium in Drenthe. I think the next few races coming up will be good opportunities for me for that win."
With the team losing the experience and guaranteed wins of Johansson, Orica-AIS brought in Annemiek van Vleuten and Tayler Wiles simultaneously handing Elvin a leadership role the Canberrean is starting to thrive in.
Olympic Selection
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