Mountain biking has been the outsider in Australia's Olympic cycling campaigns and Bec Henderson is determined to change that.
Racing at her third Olympics, the 29-year-old from Canberra could win the first medal for Australia since cross-country mountain biking joined the Games program in 1996.
Australia's best results have been Mary Grigson's sixth and Cadel Evans' seventh at the Sydney Olympics.
But Henderson has gone to a new level with bronze medals at the past two world championships.
"That would be amazing," she said when asked what winning a medal in Tokyo would mean.
"It's going to take a big change or a big result like that to really put mountain bike on the map in Australia, to get the support it needs.
"The fact we've never medalled at an Olympic Games is probably an indication of issues within the sport and just that the development pathway is not there.
"I would love to change that ... I'm just focusing on the part that I can do."
Henderson and her husband Dan are Australia's mountain bike competitors at the Tokyo Olympics.
This will be Dan's fourth Olympics, equal with Evans and Gary Neiwand among Australian cyclists.
Only Stuart O'Grady (six) and Shane Kelly (five) have raced at more Olympics.
Dan also coaches Bec and she said that adds to the occasion when they are racing at the Olympics.
"Sometimes we have our moments as far as coaching goes, but it's an absolute privilege to be here with my husband," she said.
Dan finds it more nervous watching his wife compete than racing himself.
"It's a question I get asked a fair bit, but it never is super-easy to watch her - it's quite stressful," he said.
"But at the same time ... we're fairly used to it now.
"It seems to working pretty good at the moment and especially to see Bec riding so well, it's quite rewarding for me."
The McConnells aim to improve on their Olympic results, with bad luck and mechanical issues dogging them over the years.
Dan has improved every four years, finishing 39th, 21st and most recently 16th in Rio.
Bec was 24th in London and 25th in Rio.
The men's race is next Monday and the women will compete the following day.
Australian Associated Press
