Gold for Olivia Lett and women’s cycling team after standout time trial

Olivia Lett took gold in the time trial cycling event which together with the work of her teammates Nicola Valarino, who took bronze, and Nicky Macedo, who came in 4th, took the gold team medal also.

The course on Monday, known as an out and back, was 35km long with an expected head wind for 65% of the course.

Olivia completed the distance in a time of 55.29.6, for Team Gibraltar.

Nicola came in 3rd in a time of 57.28.2 and Nicky in a time of a mere 20 seconds longer 57.48.1.

Nicky also competed in the triathlon event on Sunday.

Speaking to the Chronicle after the event double gold medallist, and former gold medallist in the Guernsey Island Games in 2023, OIivia said she could not believe her or the team’s success.

“I was not even expecting it on Friday, because that's where we got gold last time, I just wasn't expecting to do this well on the first day,” she said.

“The conditions are so windy, obviously in our favour for some of it. But just mentally, like, knowing that the conditions aren't like they are at home, it's tough.”

On her teammate’s bronze medallist Nicola’s performance she said Nicola surpassed her “expectations massively.”

One element of this was because Nicola is on a road bike and she also acknowledged there are not as many women competitors as there are male.

Olivia’s husband, Mark Lett, also competed in the time trial and is the team manager.

Since the last games they have had a daughter, Grace who was with her Grandma Nicola on the side lines.

This means the couple have had to work hard to balance their work, life and training, with Olivia getting on the bike at 5.30am and in the evening after work.

“I think after everything that we put into it, we definitely both deserve some success,” she said.

In taking bronze Nicola she was not only “really pleased” but it was not expecting to be in the top three at all.

“I'm really elated, particularly given that I've done the course on a road bike,” she said.

“I don't have a TT bike, so it makes it a little bit harder to get into an aero position, and really, kind of get the power down on the flat sections, but I think I made it up a little bit on the on the hilly bit bits.”

“I'm really proud of our team to have collectively come in and placed really well and got team gold.”

Now she is looking forward to the road race on Wednesday and the town criterium on Friday as well.

Nicky’s performance on the bike was 24 hours after she competed in the triathlon event, where she cycled further than she did it the time trial. In addition, it was her first cycling competition.

Despite placing 4th and having a gold team medal she said: “I would have liked to have gone harder, but, I just didn't have the legs today.”

“I struggled into the wind and the hills. My quads were just burning today.”

Nicky came to the sport later in life, now turning 41 this year.

As an inspiration to many athletes on the Rock, she gave some advice for those entering the sports arena at her age or older.

“I think you can do anything you put your mind to. I am an older person and I always joke about my age, but when you turn 40, things do change,” she said.

“And I'm approaching 41 now. However, I'm the fittest I've ever been. I'm the strongest I've ever been.”

She focuses on her recovery and nutrition now more than ever and that makes a difference.

“And you know you can do anything. You're only as old as you feel. Age is not a barrier.”

Speaking on the women’s success, Mark had praise for the team.

“We had a late submission from Nicky Macedo, who did the triathlon [on Sunday],” he said.

“She came in to obviously help out the team, because Nicola Valarino doesn't have a time trial bike, but Nicola managed to pull it out of the bag on a non time trial bike. She managed to make third place, which is outstanding, and the time that she did was compared to others, is like ridiculous.”

Nicky Macedo who's never done a time trial before “coming in fourth as well, is amazing.”

“And obviously hats off to my wife Olivia for coming in first, and she's managed to obviously secure that team gold as well,” he said.

Summing up he said he was immensely proud of the team.

“They put on a lot of hard work. And Olivia, especially, she gave birth to our daughter 13 months ago,” he said.