Riders from the Ballarat-Sebastopol Cycling Club will hold a remembrance ride in tribute to the late Amy Gillett tomorrow (Saturday). The 29 year old Mt Helen rider was tragically killed in Germany this week when she and five of her AIS team-mates were hit by a car. Gillett was a member of the club.
Club president Gary Gullock said the route for tomorrow's ride had yet to be finalised but would begin outside the Ballarat Town Hall at 7.30am. "We normally go out for a training ride on Saturday morning's but this weekend's ride will be in memory of Amy," he told the Ballarat Courier newspaper. "It will probably include part of the Australian Open Road Cycling Championship Course which Amy did so well on last year."
Gullock agreed with her coach, John Beasley, who felt the former rower was a medal contender for next year's Melbourne Commonwealth Games. "She was certainly on track this year (to win a medal)," he stated. "Everybody at the club is still devastated at her death. A lot of people knew Amy and will remember her for a long time because she was held in such high regard as both a person and rider."
"I've heard some mention of dedicating a leg of the Herald Sun Tour to Amy but the club wouldn't want to do anything without discussing it with her husband Simon first.
"We'll obviously be guided by the family as to what Amy's wishes may have been, if any."
Amy Gillett's funeral is expected to take place in Ballarat next Friday. Her team-mates remain in hospital in Germany. Alexis Rhodes, 20, and Louise Yaxley, 23, were yesterday still in a critical condition while Kate Nichols, 20, Katie Brown, 22, and Lorian Graham, 27, were listed as stable.
