The USA's Shawn Morelli takes a corner during the C4-5 road race at the 2024 Paris Paralympics in Clichy-sous-Bois, France, on Sept. 6, 2024. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)

CLICHY-SOUS-BOIS, France — Cyclist Shawn Morelli relishes her role as elder stateswoman, even if she doesn’t think of herself as a legend.

The former Army major completed her slate at the 2024 Paris Paralympics on Friday morning with the women’s C4-5 road race starting and ending in Clichy-Sous-Bois, France, finishing 14th place in a time of 2 hours, 9 minutes and 20 seconds.

The 48-year-old Saegertown, Pa., native, was more pleased, though, with her fellow riders coming up and asking for advice, no matter how mundane or serious the topic.

“Just the fact that they come up and talk to me, especially girls from other countries, it’s nice to have that kind of, ‘Oh, they want advice from me; that’s cool,’ ” Morelli said. “Because I don’t consider myself anything more than someone who rides a bike.”

During her time as a soldier, a bomb blast in Afghanistan in 2007 left her with nerve and neck damage and caused blindness in her left eye.

Morelli isn’t anonymous in the world of paracycling. The veteran has three Paralympic golds to her name, one on the track and two in road racing.

The Penn State Behrend alumna won the women’s C4 individual time in Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo in road racing and the C4 3,000-meter individual pursuit in Rio. She also has a silver medal in the 3,000 individual pursuit from Tokyo in her collection.

So when riders like New Zealand’s Nicole Murray, who did not start Friday’s race, heaped praise on Morelli, it’s for good reason.

It also explains why competitors, many of whom are half her age, seek her wisdom. And one of the major ones she dishes out is not to let others dictate their careers to them.

“As an athlete, you need to be … not forceful but be, ‘No, this is what I want to do. It’s my career. It’s what I train to do. This is what I want to do,’ ” Morelli said.

Sarah Storey of Great Britain won her fourth successive Paralympic gold medal in the C4-5 road race at the 2024 Paris Paralympics in Clichy-sous-Bois, France, Sept. 6, 2024. She took the gold ahead of Heidy Gaugain of France, Paula Andrea Ossa Veloza of Colombia and American Samantha Bosco. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)

The USA's Shawn Morelli leads Canada's Keely Shaw into a corner during the cycling road race at the 2024 Paris Paralympics in Clichy-sous-Bois, France, Sept. 6, 2024. Morelli, a U.S. Army veteran who was seriously injured in Afghanistan in 2007, finished 14th. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)

American Samantha Bosco is congratulated by fans as she rolls to the finish line, placing fourth in the C4-5 road race at the 2024 Paris Paralympics in Clichy-sous-Bois, France, Sept. 6, 2024. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)

The USA's Elouan Gardon finished seventh in the men’s C4-5 road race at the 2024 Paris Paralympics in Clichy-sous-Bois, France, Sept. 6, 2024, with a time of 2:25.58. Ukrainian cyclist Yehor Dementyev won gold. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)

“And have fun. If you’re not having fun, why are you going to put yourself through that pain?”

Morelli admitted she was feeling pain on the 71-kilometer course Friday. She trailed off the main pack early before setting a steady rhythm of just more than 26-minute 14.2-kilometer splits.

Describing herself as more of a diesel engine than someone who pumps the accelerator in short spurts, Morelli practiced what she preaches: staying within her physical limits.

“Built-up fatigue just bit me today,” said Morelli, who also competed in the women’s C4-5 500-meter time trial and 3,000 individual pursuit on the track and the C4 time trial on the road. “My heart rate was over 180 for about the first five minutes, and my choices were keep pushing and have a seizure or back off. I just chose health over seeing what could happen, which is where I’m at in my career.”

As for what’s next, she’s planning a two-year hiatus to focus on her loved ones. Then she will decide whether she’ll contend for a spot at the 2028 Los Angeles Games.

“I really feel like I’ve been putting family on the back burner for a while, and it’s time to put them back up front,” Morelli said. “From my parents to my husband to my siblings, they deserve time, and bike racing will always be there.”