The Villa, analyzing the recent Paris 2024 Olympic Games, acknowledged that Sam Welsford was the extra weapon of the Australian quartet towards gold and world record. An extraordinary engine, worthy of the Ganna of Tokyo 2021, which gave the Wallabies the maximum. To obtain the Olympic laurel, the rider of the Red Bull Bora Hansgrohe he gave up a lot, made great sacrifices, put his road career on ice precisely because there was a date with history that he couldn't miss.
The Paris days are over, Welsford has not yet resumed its activity (it will do so today at Renewi Tour in Belgium) but he still feels in the air that electricity that brought his gold, one of the most beautiful of the exceptional Australian expedition to Paris, capable of taking third place in the medal table against all odds.
When did you get involved in the Olympic quartet project and what was the main difference from Australia in previous years that led you to gold and the record?
It was a positive choice. I had won silver in Rio 2016 and bronze in Tokyo three years ago, in my heart I always knew that I wanted to come back and try to get that blessed gold medal.In Tokyo, we had been a disaster in the qualifications that had immediately put us out of the game. We had to redeem ourselves. And so we started training again, but first We took some time off the track. It's like we've detoxed. We started this year with a clear idea in mind. We did the Nations Cup as a preparation competition, to build the team together and then We did a lot of work in Mallorca, concentrating almost monasticly. Then we went to Anadia in Portugal to really do the specific work we needed. and we arrived in Paris at full speed, knowing that we could do it.
You stopped racing on the road in mid-June: was it a problem for the team not being able to count on you?
At the beginning of the season I had done very well, but I knew it couldn't last., I had to think about what it takes to be a champion on the track, that type of training different from the road. The plan with the team was to have a good block of races before the specific work and then meet again after ParisIn Slovenia, I was already thinking about the quartet; it was a very tough, demanding race. I have to thank the team for supporting me in my dream. Now I'm focused on having a strong end to the season. The team also knows that the track is very useful for my sprint.
You started the season triumphantly at the Santos Tour Down Under: how do you rate the first part of the year on the road?
I think winning in my home country, my home race in Adelaide, was super special and then winning three was incredible. I was really excited about the season we were starting. It was definitely one of my highlights of the year.A sprinter winning three times in the same race doesn't happen often, when it happens you have to enjoy the moment.
Do you see yourself more as a road or track rider?
Now I'm probably more of a road person. The gold in Paris doesn't change who I am. Now I want to have my own career and I believe that at my age I can be one of the best sprinters in the peloton., to play my cards in the Grand Tours, But to do so I had to close a circle and I thank the coaches for allowing me to do it with that gold medal.
Returning to the preparation for Paris, how important was it to be able to train without distractions from road activity?
There has always been a balance, I don't believe in a clear division of careers..It's more like I have to do a little bit of both. Even without competing on the track, training on it is important, especially for the strength a sprinter needs. It's not just a matter of general fitness, but of taking care of your engine, so to speak. Especially if you do the bunch sprints I did. The track gets you used to short, intense efforts that create a lot of neural fatigue. They're tiring, more so than road training. Rest assured, the next day you won't feel like doing four hours on the road... But in reality, it's very important for the transition process, to work on the last minute of this race, the decisive one.
Which nation did you fear most on the road to gold?
It's hard to say. We knew it was very evenly matched, with Italy, Great Britain, and Denmark; we were also worried about our New Zealand cousins. It was impossible to predict in advance what would happen; we just knew we had to be at our best and not make any mistakes this time... Because we wouldn't have another chance. I must confess that I watched Italy and it made an impression on me, I knew they were a really good team and that Ganna was doing well.It would have been a really big threat. You know, they're always super for the Olympics and they were world champions recently, so we knew they were at their best too, but we had to look after ourselves.
Many consider you one of the strongest sprinters in cycling today: is that a role you enjoy or do you think you have other characteristics as well?
I like being a sprinter. It's something I think I'm pretty good at. With the right preparation, I think he can be quite fast, on par with other top-tier players.Fortunately, I've been slowly improving over the last two years, but I haven't yet reached the level I think I have. After all, racing has changed; there are no pure sprinters anymore; you have to be able to hold your ground even on climbs. On these hilly terrains, which are difficult for me because I'm obviously quite heavy, I can and must still improve.
You already have a contract for next year: will you still be racing on the track in 2025?
You know, I've thought about it. It's hard to say now. For me, I think it's important that I give something back to the team. I focus on the road and show them how good I can be.If I have a really good season next year, I think it's really good for the team and to show what I can do. I think I'm at that stage in my career where you have to decide what you want to do.Maybe it might be useful to do a few Six Days, a few outings at the end of the year. But no more.
