Australia's Paralympic cyclists like to think of themselves as the "main event" and they're taking heed of the tough lessons from the sport's Tokyo dress rehearsal.
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Head coach Warren McDonald says some of the Paralympic cycling team train with athletes who competed at the Tokyo Olympics.
Coaches in the Paralympic team also have liaised with their Olympic colleagues ahead of Tokyo.
While the Australian cycling team overall won a gold and two bronze, the results at the track especially were disappointing.
AusCycling is also conducting a review after Alex Porter's handlebar snapped off his bike during team pursuit qualifying.
"From when I started three years ago, there's been a lot more integration at a national level," McDonald said.
"There has been a great change and I think our athletes feel maybe for the disappointment ... but in the end, what's happened has happened.
"Maybe our athletes will take a little bit on board, that it doesn't come easy, you still have to make it happen - and also sh** happens.
"We call it the warmup event - now we're the main event."
McDonald is "quietly confident" the Paralympic cycling team can match, if not top, its haul of three gold medals from the Rio Games.
He said COVID-19 and its lockdowns reinforced to him that he works with some very tough-minded athletes.
"Something the Para athletes and the Para team have taught me is their resilience and their ability under lockdown, probably because they've had to deal with adversity," he said.
"They responded quite well. I'm quietly confident that we have some very capable athletes."
As lockdowns unfolded last year and there were $750 government handouts, the cycling team snapped up smart trainers with the money so paracyclists could train online with input from their coaches.
McDonald said paracyclists such as Emily Petricola and Alistair Donohoe could potentially win three medals across track and road events.
The team has some great potential - if we can convert that potential," McDonald said.
The legendary Carol Cooke, a three-time Paralympic gold medallist, will ride at her third Games.
McDonald previously was national women's road coach, taking the team to the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Australian Associated Press
