![Rebecca Henderson does a "shoey" after winning the mountain bike World Cup event in Albstadt. Picture Getty Images Rebecca Henderson does a "shoey" after winning the mountain bike World Cup event in Albstadt. Picture Getty Images](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/j2iwCiKfwhVWJky39Vsdpt/b25de1b2-774b-45c2-911b-5e9dfa582423.jpg/r0_449_5184_3375_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Sometimes it's the small changes that make the big differences. Like adding a 15-second sprint to training even though you're an endurance athlete.
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Sometimes it's the big changes that make the small differences. Like breaking through for your first World Cup victory and celebrating by drinking German beer out of your sweaty cycling shoe.
The smile on Rebecca Henderson's face says all the change on and off the bike has been worth it after a breakout season last year.
But the one change she hopes to see before she ends her days as one of the best cross country mountain bikers in the world? Recognition.
Not necessarily for her benefit, but for those who want to follow her trail to make sure they get the funding they deserve.
Because after six years as a podium contender and earning her first World Cup wins in 2022, Cycling Australia still doesn't consider her one of the country's best when it comes to carving up the funding pie.
Henderson, a three-time Olympian, two-time world championships bronze medallist, Commonwealth Games medallist and three-time World Cup winner, is considered to be a tier-two athlete in the "podium ready" category. She was the No.1-ranked rider in the world for the six-month season.
"It's disappointing because I'm used to it. What are other athletes supposed to hope for if they see the best rider in the country not getting the support that's probably correct?
"As long as I've been a mountain bike athlete, it's been like this. I used to quietly go about my business, but what more can I do? I know I didn't podium in the world championships.
"But for a few months I was undeniably the best in the world and that's still not enough. There's not that much more I can do to be worthy, it seems like it's never enough.
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"I've always felt some responsibility to speak out and this isn't a new thing for mountain biking. If it doesn't get talked about, I feel like nothing will happen."
Henderson let her riding do the talking for her last year, even as she went through some major life changes.
She separated from husband Dan McConnell, who was also her coach, and set off to navigate the international circuit solo for the first time in more than a decade.
She skipped the Commonwealth Games to focus on the World Cup events, and narrowing her focus paid off in the best possible way.
The 31-year-old had been a regular on the podium since 2016, but hadn't been able to crack top spot until she dominated in 2022.
Henderson won her first World Cup in Brazil in April, becoming just the second Australian woman to achieve the feat. She backed it up with wins in the next two rounds of the season in Germany and the Czech Republic.
"It's still pretty mind blowing. The second half of my season wasn't amazing, but given my life situation ... I would have given up everything at the end of last season to get one World Cup win," Henderson said.
"That was the dream, and I finished the year with three. I'm really proud of what I was able to achieve. It's so much more than I dared to dream about this time a year ago.
![Rebecca Henderson has been doing her off-season training back in Canberra. Picture by James Croucher Rebecca Henderson has been doing her off-season training back in Canberra. Picture by James Croucher](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/j2iwCiKfwhVWJky39Vsdpt/1215b97e-c890-4a7f-a8af-9777126c37d2.jpg/r0_87_6508_3760_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"It's no secret that I've separated from Dan. We were together for 12 years and always travelling and racing together. Going through that wasn't easy, and I was effectively living alone overseas for six months.
"They were big changes. Then for the first time in my life I had the whole World Cup scene looking at me. I'm not the kind of person who loves the spotlight, so it was another thing to deal with. New challenges and new experiences to adapt to."
"I'm still a work in progress, I still feel like I'm on a rollercoaster. But at the same time, I'm a much, much happier person."
Henderson is now working with coach Josep Codinach, who has introduced a new training regiment to her preparation.
"I was close in 2021 and at the end of the season we made the decision to get a new coach. It was time for a change," Henderson said.
"I was on the podium a lot, but I wasn't make decisive moves. The change in the structure of my training was enough to unlock what I was capable of.
"They were pretty subtle changes. He has his way, I have my way. But it was only a handful of different sessions and small changes to intervals.
"I train quite a lot of hours on the road or mountain bike. A training week is 15-23 hours on the bike ... but honestly it was as simple as doing some 15 second sprints. It was just in the detail."
Henderson will continue training in Canberra until heading back to Europe for the start of the next World Cup campaign from May.
She says winning as the underdog in Brazil was special, but claiming her third title when she was the favourite has given her confidence to push even harder this year.
The Olympic qualification process starts this year, with Henderson keeping one eye on earning Australia's spot for the Paris Games in 2024.
"I dream to feel those sensations again," she said. "But I'm hoping for some more stability in 2023 and consistency ... I'm going to keep fighting to be the best I can."
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