The 2017 season will be Michael Hepburn's sixth in the WorldTour with Orica-BikeExchange with the 25-year-old totally committed to the road following a return to the track this year which yielded a sixth rainbow jersey, and second silver medal in the team pursuit.
With "absolutely no regrets" about his decision to make a return to the track in 2016 to chase his gold medal dream, Hepburn told Cyclingnews the experience is one he looks back on fondly.
"I had some memorable moments, some great moments with the young guys and I created some new friendships. The programme had changed a lot since I was there a few years ago," he said. "Going into it, I didn't know half the staff or half the young riders. Obviously, I had been with Jack [Bobridge] and Alex [Edmondson] before. In the end, it didn't quite work out as he had planned and hoped but along the way we had some great times with World Cup victories, World Championships, and some really fast rides. Also, some great experiences like what we did at Worlds and the build up with how it came together and how it gelled was really nice to see. It was one of those races where we raced above and beyond what we were capable of because everything came together at the perfect time and that was great.
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"Rio was a really nice experience as well. It didn't quite go as we hoped but we did a great time and great ride in the final and there wasn't a hell of a lot we could do," he added. "I look back very proud of that. I would love to get a gold medal some day but maybe it's not meant to be for me."
The Rio team pursuit final was the second of Hepburn's career after the 2012 London Games where Team GB also got the better of the Australians. While the result was ultimately not the one Hepburn his teammates were after, the performance was one he couldn't fault as he explained.
"In London, we were beaten fair and square by a huge margin and we weren't in the ballpark there. In Rio, one, we did a hell of a ride and it was a spectacular ride and it is probably my favourite team pursuit race ever which is weird because we didn't win," he said. "I have also had some great races with GB over the years and Worlds was special but that was just one hell of a race. As it was in the Worlds, it always is with our two countries, and we couldn't have done a hell of a lot different so you have to look back and be proud of it and we are."
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