The cycling great bowed out of her sprint title defence with 10th place after finishing runner-up in the ride-off for ninth.

It is unclear whether Meares will retire now, aim to end her career at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games or try to push through to the Tokyo Olympics, when she would be 36.

Meares had to go through two sprint repechage rounds – the first time she has had a repechage ride in the sprint or keirin during her record four Olympics.

She lost the first, but bowed out of the competition by losing the second and then lost the ninth-place ride-off.

Meares was shattered after her last ride at Rio, saying there was nothing left in her legs.

“I want to give myself the opportunity to be removed from this,” Meares said through tears.

“I promised myself a week or two, just to catch my breath and go home and see my family.

“If you could afford me that, I will make a statement, where I go from here.”

Meares achieved her two Rio goals by winning bronze in the keirin and also partnered with Stephanie Morton to take fourth in the team sprint.

The keirin bronze gave her six Olympic medals, making Meares the most decorated Australian cyclist in Games history.

But she was never a factor in the sprint, adding to Australian cycling’s disappointing Rio results.

“I have to admit that’s pretty brutal, riding off for ninth to twelfth – it only happens at the Olympic Games,” she said.

“I know there will be a lot of criticism and opinion around my result in this event and believe me, there’s no-one who will criticise me more than me.

“The perfectionist in me, the elite athlete I’ve been for so long, just finds it really hard to comprehend that result.”

At the same time, Meares was proud because she knew it would be tough.

Meares’ ongoing back injury, which she aggravated last December, meant she lacked the acceleration that is crucial in sprint match racing.

“I’ve revelled in the role of team captain and flag bearer, but for the first time in 22 years, my body, I just couldn’t get any more out,” she said.

“It’s just hard to end my Olympic campaign here in Rio in that fashion.

“My legs gave way.”

There was a poignant moment when Meares’ great British rival Victoria Pendleton greeted her in the media mixed zone, with the two sprint greats sobbing.

Meares famously beat Pendleton to win the sprint gold medal at the London Olympics.

Meares said Pendleton had sent her messages of support throughout the Olympics.

“She’s one of the few people that knows what it feels like and it’s just really nice of her, to have her there and the kind words she gave me,” Meares said.

-AAP