LAUREN Kitchen has some decisions to make ahead of the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
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On April 14, the women’s road race on the Gold Coast is scheduled to take place, but Kitchen also has the option of competing at a world tour event – the Amstel Gold Race in the Netherlands on April 15.
Three days later, the women’s world tour heads to Belgium.
While the 26-year-old Port Macquarie cyclist remained non-committal about which decision she would ultimately make, she was leaning towards an appearance at the home games.
It will be her first Commonwealth Games experience after injury ended her chances ahead of Glasgow in 2014.
“At Scotland I was injured after one of the major arteries running down my left leg was impaired because I had scar tissue from when I broke my pelvis in 2008,” she said.
“The scar tissue was pushing on the artery and the inner wall of my leg got a bit built up so whenever I was at high intensity there was a severe lack of blood flow to the left leg.
“Even though I knew the injury was there, I managed it to finish the season and then wasn’t eligible or at a level to contest selection for the games itself.”
Another factor in Kitchen’s decision-making process could lay with finding out what her role will be either with her French team, or with the Australian team on the Gold Coast.
The scar tissue was pushing on the artery and the inner wall of my leg got a bit built up so whenever I was at high intensity there was a severe lack of blood flow to the left leg.
- Lauren Kitchen
“I would like to go to the Commonwealth Games because I haven’t been there before and I’ve heard the course will suit me, but in saying that there will be six riders in the team,” she said.
“I don’t really don’t want to be the first person to go and get drink bottles for everyone else and ride on the front from kilometre zero when I could be leading my team at a world tour event in Europe.
“But if I’m going to be filling a domestic role in the European races, I might push for a domestic role in the Commonwealth Games for that experience.”
She did, however, acknowledge that although a decision had to be made, it could also be one that is taken out of her hands.
“For me, it’s a challenge because it means a decision has to be made and they don’t just come from me,” she said.
“The Commonwealth Games is something I look up to and think about and is one of the reasons you get into sport as an Australian.
“But at the same time I am in a professional sport and next year will ride for a French team that doesn’t know what the Commonwealth Games are.
The Commonwealth Games is something I look up to and think about and is one of the reasons you get into sport as an Australian.
- Lauren Kitchen
“A result there doesn’t mean anything to them in terms of points for the world tour, or rankings or anything like that.
“It’s going to be difficult to work out how we go about it because essentially your team pays the bills.”
After being close to selection in a national team at either Olympic or Commonwealth Games level, Kitchen said selection on the glitter strip would be a highlight.
“I was the reserve last year for the Olympics and missed the previous Commonwealth Games due to injury so it would be nice to come full circle and complete the selection that I’ve looked up to,” she said.
“It would be nice for the family to have the opportunity to see me race at the top international level so that’s something that’s also in the back of my mind.”
