It was a shock display from the Australian Women’s team at the Tokyo Olympics as not one finished inside the top 20 despite being only one of five nations boasting a full quota of four riders.
Despite going in with high hopes for the women’s road race, the Aussie riders had a day to forget with leader Amanda Spratt failing to finish, while Sarah Gigante and Brown finished towards the back of the field.
29-year-old Brown admitted it just wasn’t her day and revealed how a poor decision cost her a chance of a top ten finish.
“I followed an attack by Anna van der Breggen entering the last five kilometres of the Doshi Road climb and that cooked me a little bit,” said Brown.
“They were my biscuits that I spent way too early.”
L-R) Grace Brown, Sarah Gigante, Amanda Spratt & Tiffany Cromwell of Team Australia prior to during the Women's road race of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games Source: Getty Images
"It was harder than I expected.
“The heat and the climbing was super taxing in the first 80 kilometres. It was just a super-hard race. Everyone was on really good form so it just makes it even harder.”
Tiffany Cromwell was the best of Australia’s riders on the day with a 26th place finish as Austrian Anna Kiesenhofer took out the gold medal with a sensational display of solo breakaway cycling.
“It's a shame our plan didn't work out as we wanted, and the other girls didn't have great legs today,” said Cromwell.
“I'm happy I just kept fighting to the end. I found myself there by myself.
"Knowing this course and knowing it was always going to be a hard one, I'm happy to get to the finish."
Brown and Gigante will look to make amends on Wednesday when they line up for Australia in the Women’s Time Trial.
