Kennedy is regarded as one of the best climbers within the peloton, and when she's had the opportunity to show it the tall Queenslander towers above the pack both on the road and metaphorically with some of her stellar rides in top competition.
It was a surprise when the announcement came that Kennedy would be hanging up the bike for good at the end of the 2021 season, bringing an end to a career that saw her claim wins domestically and overseas. Kennedy sat down with SBS Cycling Central to discuss the reasons behind her retirement and how she viewed her time in the sport.
“It’s nothing to do with the physical side, or the riding side at all actually," said Kennedy. "I still feel like I’m getting better physically and I’m still enjoying my cycling.
"It’s just about deciding what’s most important for me and I guess I’ve decided that I no longer want to prioritise cycling and myself so much. For me, it feels like a bit of selfish pursuit and I’ve had enough of that. I want to be back home with my husband and my family, and focus on new priorities.”
Kennedy and her partner Jack married at the end of 2020, with her husband a consistent supporter of her cycling career throughout her journey in the sport. It was time back in Australia during the initial racing shutdown in 2020 that helped Kennedy make the final call.
"The other thing I'd touch as a reason is that the whole pandemic has made me realise what's important to me," said Kennedy. "My perspective's changed a lot in the last few years and it's made me realise that I'll be happy without cycling."
When you look at Kennedy's career, there are large empty spots, chunks of races missed due to crashes and recovery from injury that have seen the talented climber at times stymied from being able to show her best.
"I can't deny that crashes have had a big impact on my career and it's certainly the part of bike racing that I won't miss," said Kennedy. "It probably has affected my decision a bit, but even if I hadn't had a major crash this year I think I would still be stopping now. It has made it a little easier to step away, knowing that I don't have to put myself in these situations anymore."
One such fall saw her fracture her eye socket, collarbone and hand during 2021 Liege-Bastogne-Liege, the rehabilitation process seeing her out for much of the season as she recovered. It may have played a role in her missing the Olympics squad, although there hasn't been any communication from AusCycling as to why she was omitted in the selection for the team.
“This year has been the absolute opposite to what I had envisaged in my head," said Kennedy. "I was looking to do more good results, there was going to be more opportunity with Annemiek leaving the team. So, I was hoping to get some more results in the regular season and then the Olympics were a huge goal.
"So far, none of that has happened. The Olympics I can’t do anything about now. I didn’t make the team and I didn’t go. That was a really difficult time, that was when I was down and out, and it felt like ‘kicking me while I was down’."
Kennedy is looking to make up for lost time in the final races of her career, as she takes on the Ceratizit Challenge by La Vuelta (to be shown live on SBS OnDemand) and the Tour de l'Ardeche, a race she won back in 2017.
“I’m really motivated to race well actually," said Kennedy of her career finale. "I’ve been training really well and I think I’m coming into some good form now.
"These two races suit me quite well, so it’s not about ticking things off, it’s about finishing the year with a positive. There haven’t been too many of those this year, I want to finish the season with a high.”
That may add another set of highlights to Kennedy's career, the 33-year-old having claimed highlight victories with two overall wins at the Herald Sun Tour, a solo triumph at San Sebastian Klasikoa, and a further general classification success at Tour de l'Ardeche. Though Kennedy's personal highlights revolve more around the team and the atmosphere of racing with a close-knit bunch of Australians.
"The Innsbruck world championships in 2018, that stands out to me as one of my best races," said Kennedy. "That was after another hard year where I’d be out for most of the season but was thankfully selected and able to play my part there and help Spratty win the silver medal. San Sebastian will always be one that I look back upon fondly.
“The thing I’ll remember forever is the time with the team and my teammates, that’s the most special thing about cycling. I’m really proud of that. I don’t think I would ridden for another team. If I hadn’t been with Greenedge I probably wouldn’t have continued at all. It’s a cliché, but it’s felt like a family the whole time and where I belong."
The Australian's career has spanned a big period of development for women's cycling, to the point where races are consistently being added to the calendar and riders' salaries in WorldTour teams are rising towards men's WorldTour minimums.
"There’s huge momentum. In the four years I’ve been here there’s been huge change," said Kennedy of women's cycling. "We’re definitely not there, but the number of WorldTour teams is increasing enormously, a lot more riders are being paid decent money and you can see the professionalism increasing.
"I think the gap is growing though. While there are more teams reaching that high level, or perhaps as a result of that, the gap between the WorldTour and non-WorldTour teams is becoming bigger and bigger. You’ve got riders making a decent wage up against riders making nothing. It’s not fair for those riders, but there’s momentum and things are getting better."
Kennedy isn't sure what the future holds at present, her current focus is on seeing out the season and enjoying it while she can, but there's going to be some part of her maintaining attention on cycling if not a different role within the sport.
"I’m definitely going to be a fan, I already watch all the races," said Kennedy. "Maybe I’m going to be involved elsewhere, I don’t know yet, but I’m not stepping away completely from cycling."
Kennedy's next race will be a the Ceratizit Challenge by La Vuelta and you can watch every stage of the Spanish race LIVE, FREE and in HD on SBS On Demand from September 2-5.
