Besides the cast supporting her injured wrist, Kiwi cyclist Ally Wollaston looked like just another member of the crowd hanging outside Lee Valley VeloPark on a Sunday afternoon.
It wasn't until some familiar faces came rolling in on bikes did she start to stand out again as Wollaston reunited with her women's team pursuit teammates for the first time since having to withdraw from competing with them at the Commonwealth Games.
"Hello legends," Wollaston said with a cheeky grin as Bryony Botha, Michaela Drummond and Emily Shearman rolled to a stop in front of her.
She gave each one a massive hug and told them how proud she was of them before cutting the emotional moment short to stop the tears from flowing.
Wollaston was forced to pull out of competition just days before the Games opened after she fell and hurt herself while competing in the Tour de France Femme.
Thankfully, sprinter Ellesse Andrews stepped up to fill Wollaston's spot by completing the opening laps of the race before dropping out, allowing the team to chase a place on the podium which eventually led to a silver medal for New Zealand on the opening day of the competition.
"I didn't know how they'd make the start line or how it would go but their fighting spirit is just amazing and seeing them out there doing that was actually one of the most incredible things," Wollaston told 1News.
"It actually makes me a bit emotional, makes me so proud of them for doing what they did with that kind of spirit; just a real Kiwi spirit coming through getting out there and doing it."
The silver medallists told Wollaston they wished she was there with them in the competition before getting an update on her injury and joking about a quick return.
Wollaston added after the reunion she always wanted to be there to support her teammates even if it was from the sidelines now.
"I'm really happy to be here despite not being able to race," Wollaston said.
"Just being able to see them and support them - it's bittersweet but it's so nice to see them and they're doing so, so well."
The 21-year-old conceded the risk probably outweighed the reward with entering the Tour de France Femme given she had only planned to race three stages before joining the team in London but added injury was part of sport.
"I'm really proud of the decision I made to race," she said.
"I was a part of women's history in cycling and it was just a moment I'll never forget and a moment to tell the grandkids about - I raced in the first ever women's Tour de France."
She now gets to be part of more history too, supporting her teammates as they chase more medals over the next two days in London.
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