Matt Richardson has been all business ahead of the Dutch wall he now faces in the sprint at Olympic track cycling.
The Australian team sprint bronze medallist has not missed a beat so far, ahead of Friday's semi-finals and medal rides after qualifying second-fastest.
The 25-year-old clinically dispatched Japanese opponent Yuta Obara two heats to nil in their quarter-final, but now the real challenge starts.
His semi-final opponent is Dutch rider Jeffrey Hoogland, while reigning Olympic champion Harrie Lavreysen is the man to beat and will face British rider Jack Carlin in the other semi.
"It's not my discipline, but (he's) good I'd say. He's been quite convincing in all his rounds, he's in a good headspace," said Australian track endurance coach Glenn O'Shea.
"It's a very businesslike performance so far, which is good - he'd been confident going into tomorrow."
Hoogland knows full well the quality of riders left in the men's sprint field.
"Whether I had Harrie Lavreysen or Matthew Richardson, it doesn't matter for tomorrow," Hoogland said.
"It's about the semi-final. It's going to be hard racing - he will be good, I will be good.
"I'm focusing on getting some good rest, good sleep first, and see what's up tomorrow.
"The field is tough, but it's really cool. It's a nice tournament."
The Dutch are the kings of the sprint events and broke their own world record to win the team sprint, with Lavreysen and Hoogland in their combination.
Lavreysen also broke the flying 200m world record in sprint qualifying.
Also on Thursday, Australian Sam Welsford showed the effects of his team pursuit heroics when he struggled through the four-event omnium.
Welsford was cooked afterwards and did not speak to media, two days out from partnering fellow team pursuit gold medallist Kelland O'Brien in the madison.
"Mentally he was up for the challenge, but you probably saw physically he lacked punch," O'Shea said.
"He's fine, he's just tired ... buggered."
Welsford finished 14th, while French rider Benjamin Thomas had the crowd roaring at the Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines velodrome outside Paris when he won the gold medal.
Thomas dramatically crashed near the end of the final event, the points race, but recovered superbly to secure France's first gold medal in track cycling at the Paris Games.
Portugal's Luri Leitao took silver and Belgian Fabio van den Bossche won bronze.
Also on Thursday, Australian Olympic debutant Kristina Clonan finished last in her keirin quarter-final heat.
New Zealander Ellesse Andrews won the gold medal ahead of Dutch rider Hetty van de Wouw and Emma Finucane of Great Britain.
