‘Being able to go out on top is so cool’ – Grace Brown revels in farewell momentum at Tour de France Femmes

Grace Brown is set to line up for her first time trial since winning an Olympic Games gold medal in the discipline earlier this month, with the stage 3 Tour de France Femmes race against the clock one of her best chances to deliver a victory for FDJ-SUEZ at the race.

Still, given the stage is just 6.3km long, it is not going to be an easy task for the Australian to fend off her rivals and keep the momentum flowing as she says farewell to the eight-stage race that is the focal point of her French team's season. 

"It's a lot shorter than what I did two weeks ago and not exactly what I've been training for," said Brown. "I think can still put in a good performance, whether it's good enough to win is hard to say, because some of these time trials favour the sprinter-type riders."

"We will see what is needed, but it will be fun to have my first time trial in the Tour as Olympic champion. It will be a special moment whatever the result is."

The time trial, which runs on Tuesday afternoon as the second stage of the day, is also followed on Wednesday by another opportunity, a lumpy 122.7km stage which finishes where Brown claimed her first Monument win in April, Liège-Bastogne-Liège.

"Liège is a race that has been good for me even though it doesn't typically suit a rider like me," added Brown. "I'm looking forward to that stage in the Tour. Being in the middle of a hard stage race is a different story, but we will see what we can do."

There is no doubt that Brown has the form to make the most of her final Tour de France Femmes and her final months of racing. Even before the Olympic gold medal it was clear that the 32-year-old rider, who is set to bow out at the end of her sixth season as a professional, was full of motivation and energy to make it a farewell to remember.

"Being able to go out on top is so cool," said Brown. "Not many people get to do that. You hope that your final year will be good but, for it actually to be good, is a dream.

"It also means that when I finish, I'm still going to love cycling. A lot of pro cyclists are burned out when they come to the end of their careers. I'm still going to want to ride my bike. I still love the sport and I feel like that has made a massive difference, to leave with good memories."

There is also still time to make even more, not only while the Tour de France Femmes unfolds in the coming days but also at the Road World Championships. Brown has come second in the race for the rainbow bands the last two years, but on September 22 in Zurich will have a last chance to make it to the top step.

"If I can win the time trial, it would complete everything," said Brown. "I'm happy with what I have achieved so far but to have a rainbow jersey as well would be really nice."