They say good teams become great ones when the members trust each other enough to surrender the ‘me' for ‘we'.

I'm sitting at a coffee shop down the road from our usual apartments here in Adelaide after eight hours at the track today, and have just realized it's now under two weeks until we race the Team Pursuit at World Champs in Denmark. Its moments like these when I get a minute to reflect a bit on the past few months and prepare for the next few weeks approaching.

After an up and down start to the season, with a back injury, I had a few people worried about how I would pull up coming into an important January. When I was given the chance to ride the Individual Pursuit at Beijing World Cup, which would be my first individual event at senior world-class level, I put a bit of pressure on myself to perform. But after riding a shocking time at Trials just prior to leaving, I had a decision to make. Did I have the form to ride it?

I found when I got over there, my legs had come back to me, so I took a risk, rode it and surprised myself a little. Though it wasn't the time I wanted, I qualified fourth, meaning I was riding off for bronze later that night. I didn't have it in me that day to back up, ending up fourth overall. So I switched my focus back to the Team Pursuit the next day, which I was to ride with my long-term teammates, Josie Tomic and Ashlee Ankudinoff.

With the Poms not making an appearance, we were determined to beat NZ in the final. With a bit of a strategy change and a few motivational talks within our team, we weren't going to let this one slip through our fingers.

We went out hard, held on to it and beat NZ by a second, riding the second fastest time ever recorded and only a second off the world record. It was a special moment, especially knowing I could share it with my two teammates. By winning, we also won the World Cup Team Pursuit Series, meaning that we will ride the World Champs in the white series leader skinsuits.

It was tough to come back to reality and refocus after our most successful World Cup, but we needed to in order to ride National Champs a week later, back here in Adelaide. I couldn't tell you how I felt leading into the Individual Pursuit at Nationals, I can't remember a thing. It was all a blur! All I know was I felt awesome in my warm up that day.

Ash Ankudinoff was off one heat before me, and Josie Tomic a heat after. It's strange racing competitively against these girls, as usually they're by my side, lifting me up when I'm down.

When Ash posted an unbelievable time of 3.34mins, a seven second PB for her, I was so gobsmacked that I actually laughed, whilst sitting there trying to focus.

There's not much you can do when someone does a time like that, other than just ride like hell and hope you make the final, which I did, but 2.5 seconds slower than her's. Hey, I was still stoked with my four second PB!!

After going back to the hotel to refocus and refuel, I came back to the track with a bit of arrogance in me. I have no idea where it came from, it's generally not who I am, but I was confident as hell. I was sick of being number two and walking in everyone's shadow. And though I was the clear underdog, I wasn't going home with another silver.

I had the perfect ride. I rode the first half to schedule called by WAIS coach Darryl Benson, and the last half I just gave everything I had left, and couldn't believe I'd not only come out on top, but rode a faster time than my qualifying.

We'll go into these Worlds in the Team Pursuit as the challengers, and against teams who are just as hungry as we are for the win, but through these past few years we've been confident of one thing over all the others. Our technique, skill and discipline. We are the most drilled team above all – the Australians' have always had a great reputation for the unity and trust within our team.

Jos, Ash and I are great friends above all, and always have each other's back to get the other over the line.

Wish us luck, I hope there is only good news to report!

Thanks for everyone's support.

Sarah :-)

The way a team plays as a whole determines its success. You may have the greatest bunch of individual stars in the world, but if they don't play together, the team won't be worth a dime. – Babe Ruth.