“In the run-up to this year, after Rio, I knew I needed a new goal,” she told RCUK. “There were two things I really wanted to do, and they were the points race and the time trial, so I knew I could split the year in two halves.

In the run-up to this year, after Rio, I knew I needed a new goal.  I thought about a goal that I can really sink my teeth into, and it was the time trial. When the course came out, I just thought ‘perfect’.

“I knew I wanted to be on the track, doing the bunch racing and doing things like the Six Days and just generally enjoying myself, but it cut so much into the road season this year that I wasn’t going to be able to do any of the Classics or the stage races as I simply wouldn’t have the racing endurance for it.

“So I thought about a goal that I can really sink my teeth into, and it was the time trial. When the course came out, I just thought ‘perfect’.”

Should Barker stick with the track, however, she will find herself a senior member of the team despite only being 22 herself.

With Joanna Rowsell Shand retiring, and Laura Kenny taking time away while she is pregnant, Barker admitted she relished the different role she got to play in Hong Kong – albeit a strange experience compared to her previous team pursuit-focussed Championships.

“It was pretty different feeling nervous on my own, rather than being nervous in a group,” she joked. “I did quite enjoy the experience but the weirdest thing was racing right up to the last day – and being one of the only ones racing up to the last day too.

“When I was there for the scratch race, all the team pursuit and team sprint riders were there too – everyone was packed into the pen. For the points race, it was just me. But I really, really enjoyed it actually.

“There’s no pressure for points or qualifying for the Olympics this year, but obviously there are only so many chances you’re going to get to compete at a World Championships.

“Just to be selected for racing is a big deal – I didn’t know I was going to be selected for the scratch race up until the week before, simply because everybody wanted to do it. Selection was really tough.

“While it’s not necessarily the biggest year in an Olympic cycle, it’s still big and it’s still a huge opportunity which might only come around, well, once a year if you’re lucky.”

Having proved herself, a split track-road season in future would likely include more bunch racing again – and Barker admitted it’s something she would definitely enjoy.

But she played down suggestions her experience in the team – despite her age – would add to the responsibility on her shoulders.

“I’d like to do as much bunch racing as possible,” she said. “There are now more World Cups in a season, which means more opportunity to race things like the omnium and each bunch race individually.

“It’s such a great opportunity because, at the moment, there are only three chances to do it a world level and one at a European level before the Worlds, and so many people want to do it.

The girls are coming along so well, and they are so good technically, that we are hitting the ground running.

“I’m looking forward to going back into the team pursuit. I’m not sure when it will happen, but I’m pretty certain it will. But I wouldn’t really say there was a ‘senior’ role.

“The girls are coming along so well, and they are so good technically, that we are hitting the ground running.

“I think they had an average age of like 19 or something ridiculous like that. At 22, I dramatically bring that up. But they’re really, really good girls and I don’t think they’re going to need any extra guidance from me really.”

Be it the team pursuit, bunch racing or committing to the road, however, there is no denying a lot has changed for Barker in four-and-a-half years. And at 22, you can’t help but feel there is plenty more to come too – starting in Bergen.