Amanda Spratt has become the first Australian woman to gain a second road race world championships medal.
The Springwood cyclist pushed hard to win a bronze medal in the UCI Road World Championships in Yorkshire on September 28.
It follows a silver medal at the 2018 world championships in Austria.
"We have had a lot of strong riders in the past and I just hope that I can continue at this level and really aim to become the first Australian woman to win the World Championships and rainbow jersey. That is my ultimate dream," Spratt said.
The race was dominated by Spratt's Mitchelton-Scott teammate Annemiek van Vleuten, who was riding for the Netherlands. Van Vleuten made a solo attack with 105km to go and no-one was able to catch her.
"She was definitely on another level to everyone else and had an absolutely exceptional performance - a very worthy world champion," Spratt said.
While Spratt was a little disappointed she couldn't hold the wheel of the silver medalist, Dutchwoman Anna Van der Breggen, on the last climb with 5km to go, she took a lot of confidence from her performance.
"I know there is still so much I can do better, so that makes me excited moving forwards with my next major goals - the Olympics and the 2020 World Championships in Switzerland," Spratt said.
"I'm very happy and proud of my bronze medal. It was a really really hard race - epic and brutal and definitely the hardest race I have ever done. I finished completely empty so I know that I couldn't have given anything more out there."
The 32-year-old also competed in her first UCI Time Trial World Championships since she was 17, finishing 11th in the 30km event on September 24.
"A lot of people sounded surprised that I raced it, but this has been part of the long-term plan I have with my coach for quite a while now," Spratt said.
"It's exciting to have a new challenge like this in my career."
Three of the best time trial riders filled three of the top four places in the road race, with Spratt the exception.
"I am convinced that continuing to develop this skill will only make me stronger overall as an athlete and complement my road race ability as well," she said.
