Warrnambool Standard: Amy’s legacy

Before her tragic death in a 2005 accident elite cyclist Amy Gillett listed the Great Ocean Road as one of her favourite training grounds. Yesterday Amy’s parents Mary and Denis Safe took part in an emotional ride along the road as part of the inaugural Great Ocean Road Recreational Ride. They were among 140 participants who started their day at Flagstaff Hill at 9am, riding to either Port Campbell, Lavers Hill or Apollo Bay.

Mrs Safe said Amy, who died while training with an Australian squad in Germany, had trained on the Great Ocean Road because of its hills.

“Remembering that was very special for me, I had some beautiful memories of Amy,'’ she said.

Mr and Mrs Safe started cycling after Amy died as a way to remember her and to help them through their grief.

“Denis and I always had bikes, after she died we made a conscious effort to get better bikes and ride and improve ourselves,'’ she said.

“We love cycling, we joined a cycling group in Adelaide. I feel very close to Amy when I’m on the bike, I think Amy would be very thrilled to see Denis and I on bikes.'’ Some of the proceeds from the ride will be donated to the Amy Gillett

Foundation which Mrs Safe said would go towards raising awareness of cycling safety and scholarships.

Organiser of the recreational ride, John Craven, said he thought more people would have taken part in the ride if it wasn’t for wet weather yesterday morning.

He said confusion about daylight saving also meant some people turned up an hour late.

However, he said there was a great atmosphere among riders who did make it. “They were in bunches laughing and joking, there were wisecracks particularly about the weather,'’ he said.

Celebrity participants included former AFL player David Clarke.

Mr Craven was already planning that next year’s ride should start and finish in Warrnambool to make it easier.

“The logistics with travel and transport cost us hundreds upon hundreds of entries especially from metropolitan and interstate cyclists,'’ he said.