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Henderson reaches cycling milestone at fourth Games

3 minute read

Mountain biker Rebecca Henderson joins Anna Meares and Lauren Reynolds as the only Australian female cyclists to race at four Olympics.

At the 2012 Olympics, Australian cycling was all about Cadel Evans and Anna Meares.

Evans, the 2011 Tour de France winner, is long retired and Meares, who won the sprint gold medal in London, is now chef de mission for the Australian team.

But Rebecca Henderson, the then 20-year-old making her Olympic debut, keeps rolling along.

In Sunday's mountain bike race she will join Meares and BMX racing mainstay Lauren Reynolds as the only Australian women cyclists to compete at four Olympics.

"It's something pretty special, to be here every four years. You see athletes come and go and most of the ones I was racing in 2012 aren't here any more," Henderson told AAP.

"It's a whole different group of people.

"People just expect you're going to be there and it comes with a different kind of pressure."

Henderson's longevity speaks volumes for her passion and durability, given mountain biking lacks the support and financial resources available to road or track cycling.

She started riding with her Dad and brother when she was 10 and that won't change.

"Day-in and day-out, I'm working to race in the World Cup. That's my racing, that's my job," Henderson said.

"I'm doing something right. I've always had good people around me.

"The people who were supporting me in 2012 are not the same people supporting me now, but I've always had good people in my corner, pushing me along - I'm so lucky.

"I don't know if I put them there or if they just fell in my lap. Finding something that you're passionate about and you really enjoy doing is the reason you can do it, year in and year out, even when things aren't going so good."

That love for her sport has been challenged this year. After some promising results over the last couple of years, Henderson has struggled this season.

"The season has been, I would almost say, a disaster," she said.

"It's not what we planned, but I'm in good shape. Things haven't gone super smoothly, but I've done what I can to be ready.

"I would actually just like to have a good race whatever that means.

"I'm just not delivering at the races - nothing special. It's just how it is. The season has not been good, but each race there has been some small progress."

At 33, Henderson is not sure how long she will keep competing. She will not aim for Los Angeles for the sake of it.

"My idea is not to just rack up participations at the Olympic Games," she said.

"If I'm still good, I will keep going.

"I'm more aware than ever that now I'm at the point if I don't feel like I have more to give I'm not going to just keep racing for the point of it."

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