Interviewed at the recent Specialized Lululemon training camp, Olympic bronze medallist Gillian Carleton is about to start her first season with the team and to see how well she can adapt to professional road racing after a successful stint on the track.
The 23 year old Canadian has a history as a triathlete but highlighted her talent when, after a very short period of time competing in the velodrome, was able to take a team pursuit bronze medal in London.
“The Olympics were amazing,” she told VeloNation in the video interview below, which was conducted at the team camp hotel in Portugal’s Algarve. “I only started on the track I think exactly a year before the Olympics, so it was a very whirlwind year for me. I didn’t honestly think I was going to be there.
“It was quite exciting to even just make the qualification for the games. Once we were there, we knew we had the potential to get a medal, and we were pleased to perform up to our standards.”
That result plus her showing in the Exergy Tour provided clear indications of her athletic ability. By her own admission, she has very limited experience of road racing, yet she finished a superb second in the prologue at the Exergy Tour, just fractions of a second off the time of the winner Tara Whitten.
In doing so she beat Specialized lululemon riders Ina Yoko Teutenberg, Evelyn Stevens and Trixi Worrack. Then two days later she was fifth in the time trial, proving her display was no fluke.
Her performances there piqued the interest of Specialized lululemon manager Kristy Scrymgeour and that in turn led to fruitful discussions with the team.
“I had a couple of good performances in individual timed events and some strong pulls on the front in the last couple of days,” Carleton said, thinking back to the May event. “I was fortunate enough to be noticed.
“Kristy has taken a bit of a chance on me coming in as a very inexperienced road rider, but I hope I can build on what has happened this year.”
In the video below, Carleton speaks about her background, how she feels about her career thus far, and her positive impressions of the new team.
She also talks about her racing programme in the early part of 2013 and names her major season target for year one with Specialized lululemon.
Also see:
Video Interview: Evelyn Stevens discusses best season yet, women’s racing and 2013 goals
Video:Ellen van Dijk on TTT worlds triumph, Specialized lululemon, 2013 goals and Vos’ character