About an hour was all she needed.
Duncan, the pride of Palmerston who now lives in Dunedin, soared to her fourth world title in the final round of the championship in Turkey at the weekend.
The 27-year-old phenomenon said her mind quickly turned to thoughts of winning a fifth in 2024.
"As soon as I was finished with the final race, I walked back to the hotel," she told the Otago Daily Times from Turkey.
"I lay on my bed and the first thing in my head was: right, how am I going to win another one of these things?
"What do I need to do next year?
"Then your mind goes, hold on a second, it was only an hour ago. Let’s enjoy this one first.
"But I am motivated to win five, yes."
Duncan regained the world crown after winning the third of her consecutive titles in 2021 then seeing her 2022 bid wrecked by injury.
Winning a fourth championship was as special as the first.
"Honestly, I don’t think it’s quite sunk in yet, but I’m sure in the coming days it will, and no doubt it will feel amazing.
"I had the odd thought before I was world champion. It starts to creep into your mind — what it would mean, and how big a deal it would be.
"It’s just sort of, wow. It gives you goosebumps.
"It’s crazy to think about it, right. You dream as a kid of being world champion one day, and to look back and think about achieving it four times ... it kind of blows your mind. It doesn’t even seem real."
Duncan won six of the 12 rounds in the championship to finish well clear of the chasing pack.
She was fit and fast all year, and believed she had reached a new level of riding.
"This year has been amazing — probably the best year of my career, just with the level rising and competitors getting better and better.
"I was still able to improve and up my performance. I was in some really good form, and we worked hard to be able to execute that at the weekend and put in some dominant performances.
"I think I’ll look back in the future and always remember this year."
There was another reason clinching the championship was special.
Duncan’s ever-supportive mother, Linda, was on hand to see her remarkable daughter finish on top of the world.
"We’ve worked as a family for this," Duncan said.
"Twenty years ago, we had ambitions to be in a place like this one day.
"I said to Mum the other day: this is what we worked for.
"This is what our family chased, and to be able to achieve it is special for my parents and brother and sister and everyone involved.
"Mum just said she was proud of me and she loved me. She says that whether I win or not.
"It was emotional. Crossing the finish line and seeing your mum straight away was a cool feeling."
Duncan is now catching up with a close friend and having a holiday around Europe.
She returns to Dunedin later this month and will waste little time planning her strive for five in 2024.
