BOISE, Idaho — The 2024 Olympics are just days away. A group of 10 athletes with Gem State ties are headed to Paris – two of which are coached by Idaho’s golden girl – three-time Olympic gold medalist Kristin Armstrong.
Armstrong captured the throne for the third time in dramatic fashion during the 2016 Rio Games, becoming the oldest Olympic cycling champion. It was an emotional moment and an "incredible ride by the American."
"She's just got news – she cannot believe it. 2008, 2012 and in Rio in 2016, Kristin Armstrong is the Olympic time trial champion once again. History has been made here," the broadcast team explained at the finish line.
“She's just got news she cannot believe it! 2008, 2012, Rio in 2016. Kristin Armstrong is Olympic time trial champion once again! History has been made here.”
KTVB’s Morgan Romero recently caught up with the most decorated female cyclist in United States history to find out how she and her athletes are preparing for Paris, and to get a glimpse at what life looks like for Armstrong off the international stage.
Note: The remainder of this article is a transcription of Armstrong’s comments during a one-on-one ride with Romero on the Kristin Armstrong Bikeway.
"I started coaching during my career, but not as high of level I would say. I started coaching just to help people out, and then I found I was very passionate about it. When I retired, I continued to coach, I built that a bit, and I still continue to enjoy it.
I have two athletes going – both Chloé Dygert in the road race, the time trial and also the team pursuit, which is in the velodrome. I also have an athlete named Haley Batten who is gonna compete for mountain bike.
This is when the stress starts, building, and you think you go along and everything's fine. Then you start realizing, not only as an athlete but also as a coach, that the anxiousness and the excitement and the simple like loss of sleep is all coming. I notice that with myself.
I'm speaking with athletes every day now. I'm rewriting their training every day now because there's good days and there's really bad days.
One month before, you think everything is going just amazing, and then all of a sudden you start getting in your own head … The mind actually becomes more important right now in this phase than the physical part. There's still opportunities to improve in the last month, but it's the mental part that can actually take away from performing your best.
It's gonna be interesting being on the other side. I'm just there to support whatever I need to.
I'll arrive about five days before the Opening Ceremony. The time trial, the first event for Chloé is on Saturday, the day after the Opening Ceremony. Then for Haley the mountain bike is on Sunday.
We'll get transported over to somewhat of a Team USA hotel. We'll stay there, we'll do some course recon – so that means we'll go out, the courses are closed, and we'll learn precisely every section of that road.
We are a country of ball sports. We are getting to the point where we're cycling more and more … We're looking really, really good in cycling disciplines and I know that with all the programs and all the funnels happening in America, we'll look even better in 2028.
One of my favorite things about the Olympics is just the human part of it and really learning about the different sports, the different people who are competing and the successes and struggles. So, I don't really have just one sport I tune into. I tune into the entire story.
Bogus Basin was named after me after the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008.
I have been riding this road for so long now that, even before I started racing. I remember the first time I made it halfway, I remember the first time I made it to the top. I can't even count, but hundreds, hundreds.
After I retired, I wasn't sure what I wanted to do, but I knew I hit the pinnacle of sport and possibly the pinnacle of personal achievement. Between winning three gold medals, in my opinion, becoming a mom – I wasn't sure how I was gonna find that kind of – we're always looking for success and we're trying to set these big goals and accomplish them. I couldn't figure out how I was going to manage this. That's why I retired twice, came out of retirement twice, so I opened up Pivot, which is a fitness center.
I wanted to help people live their best, healthiest life while they still enjoyed the amazing outdoor life that the Treasure Valley brings.
I haven't ever looked back and said, 'what else could I have done for myself?' It's not about that anymore.
I've reached that. My son is 13 years old now. Joe, my husband, he is part of Pivot daily with myself and we just really enjoy giving back."
Armstrong had never coached mountain biking before when Batten was referred to her through her former coach six years ago.
As for Dygert, she and Armstrong were actually teammates back in 2015, when the Boise native was about to end her cycling career and Dygert was beginning hers.
Armstrong said Batten is favored to win a medal in mountain biking and Dygert’s chances are high, since she’s the current time trial world champion.