The 29-year-old Tasmanian has been one of the top performers at a national level over the past few seasons riding with Sydney Uni-Staminade, with some particularly good form over the Australian summer of cycling confirming her ability against top-class opposition.
Frain won a stage of the National Tour in the Tweed Valley in November, and then showcased her growing talent in the hot and harsh racing conditions at the Santos Festival of Cycling, the replacement event for the Tour Down Under, where she finished fourth overall.
She then went on to a battling finish for third in the time trial at the 2021 national road championships, fighting through mechanical problems to end up with the bronze medal behind Sarah Gigante (TIBCO-SVB) and Grace Brown (Team BikeExchange). In any other season, that would have been combined with more domestic racing opportunities, but the pandemic outbreaks around Australia have seen a number of National Road Series events postponed at present with Frain only participating in two races since the summer.
Instead, Frain has opted to make the most of any opportunity that she can, securing a deal for the rest of 2021 with TIBCO-SVB and getting the chance to compete against the high standard of the US local scene.
"I'm just looking to make the most of my time here," said Frain, talking to SBS Cycling Central from the Joe Martin Stage Race in Arkansas, USA. 'It’s racing, it’s summer, I’ve got team support. I’m going to (Tour of the) Gila, Sea Otter (Classic) and maybe some other local races.
"I might do some altitude before Gila because that’s at altitude as well. I’m just soaking it all in, using the opportunity and having fun as well."
Frain made the decision to leave Australia in the knowledge that race plans and travel arrangements would be precarious, with a quarantine to re-enter the country almost a certainty as well.
“It’s not easy getting out of Australia at the moment and I’ve still got my job too," said Frain, who works as a personal fitness trainer and a product developer with Bulk Nutrients. "It took a while to line everything up, but I was so happy that everything got set up once the team got in touch. They’ve been really accommodating and great to work with… no question seems silly and it’s all been easy. There are a lot of riders with the team that are doing their first rides with the team, either due to COVID or personal issues, so I don't feel too different."
That welcome into the family-like atmosphere of TIBCO-SVB was a heart-warming introduction for Frain, who had nearly found herself stuck in Australia, having to rely on Sarah Gigante's mother, Kerry for hospitality and training equipment in a pinch.
"When I got to Melbourne I went to check in a 9pm and the airline rejected me because my COVID tests weren’t in the right format," said Frain. "I couldn’t get on and thankfully Sarah’s mum, Kerry, helped me out and I could go stay there. I needed to train and needed a Kickr as well and she got me set up.
“That was great, but it was 10pm, nobody was answering calls and I was still on Australian soil. That was the hardest it felt at that point. I think all good things are quite challenging to achieve but it was a hard moment. Coming from Tassie, COVID has been a non-issue there for so long that I’ve been quite sheltered from it.”
Frain's career could almost be described as sheltered as well, with most of her racing centred within Australia, but every step up has been accompanied by successfully managing a swift learning curve and finishing near the top of results sheets.
“I’ve stepped up quite quickly and often," said Frain. "So it was club racing, then straight to NRS, then Europe. I got selected onto the Australian team for Cadel’s Race and the Tour Down Under. I like testing my limits and pushing the boundaries. It’s forced me to develop really quickly. I’ve always been surrounded by really good riders and I’ve learned so much from the people I’m around.
"So much learning and that’s why I’ve stuck to road. Some people have suggested that I give mountain bike or track a go, but coming into the sport so quickly I’ve tried to focus on the road as I still have plenty to learn there."
Frain has shown plenty of abilities on the climbs, perhaps most notably with results at the Tour of Tasmania and the National Tour, before being the rider to fight the longest to hold onto Sarah Gigante's wheel at the Santos Festival of Cycling on Willunga Hill. Frain doesn't pigeonhole herself into one category at present.
“I love a time trial too, I’m pretty good at that and it goes hand in hand with climbing," said Frain. "I don’t think I’m a pure climber, but certainly those ten and five-minute efforts are something that I’m good at, so maybe a hard course is where I’d do well. I’m not a crit rider, I’m not awful in a kick, but I’m no Ruby (Roseman-Gannon).”
With all the push and pull factors with restrictions and uncertainty meeting with the allure of a good series of performances putting her in the box seat for a full-time gig in the professional peloton, Frain comes into this block of racing highly motivated to make the most of the opportunity with the potential to impress and secure a deal for 2022 and beyond.
“I’ve wanted to try and achieve this for so long, now it felt like it was attainable so I was never going to not do it," said Frain. “It’s definitely what I want to do as a career. That’s the goal.
"It’s a really exciting time for women’s cycling, whether that’s more teams coming into the WorldTour, or better pay and deals. Older riders have done great coming into the sport and having longer careers as they’ve come in late. That’s great for me that there are proven cases of it and it’s not a bad time to be coming in at all.”
