Grace Brown is adamant she won't change her mind about retiring from cycling, despite demonstrating with her history-making ride at the world championships that she's better than ever at age 32.
The Olympic champion became the first woman ever to win both the Games and world time trial titles in the same year when she rode a perfectly-judged race against the clock from Gossau to Zurich to complete the double on Sunday.
It prompted the same question - well, not so much a question as a demand - that was addressed to her in Paris after her Olympic triumph.
"You have to carry on, you have to carry on," implored the post-race interviewer, clearly crestfallen that Brown would be retiring after the most successful season of her glittering career.
That elicited just a smile from the Australian great.
"A lot of people are saying that -- but, no, I'm still finishing up at the end of this season, and I just feel really, really lucky to have had the end of my career like this," said Brown.
Even serial Dutch winner Demi Vollering, who was beaten into second place by Brown over the 29.9km course by 16.79 seconds, felt her Aussie rival should spend another year enjoying wearing the rainbow jersey as global champion.
But Brown shrugged: "I feel a little bit sad that I'm not doing it maybe the justice it deserves by stopping, but I don't think the guilt of that is enough to completely change my mind.
"I'm really happy. On the podium putting on this jersey felt really significant. I've been on the podium watching someone else put it on the last two years (when she won silver), and finally it was my turn.
"It's just been like a crazy year, and I'm really proud that I've ticked so many big boxes and just achieved my dreams -- and there's nothing left to wonder about."
Indeed, the victory gives Brown a place even higher in the pantheon of Australian sports greats, with a world gold to go with her Olympic, Commonwealth and numerous national crowns.
Her next outing will be as part of the Australian mixed relay team on Wednesday in Zurich, before she competes in her last-ever world championship road race on Saturday.
