Tasmanian Golden girl of cycling, 17 year old Amy Cure is at the end of an impressive season and to confirm that she is the next big thing in women’s cycling. Amy Cure has broken world records on the track and taken gold at the Junior World Championships in Italy.
Cure smashed the smashed the 2km individual pursuit world record in the qualifying to go onto to win the 2000m individual pursuit gold medal in 2min 22,8sec. Not content with just winning the individual pursuit, Cure put in a stunning performance to defended her 2009 scratch race gold medal.
2010 has been a great year for the young cyclist; winning the U19 Road Time Trial Australian Road Championships; winning the U19 Points Race Australian Championships; winning U19 Individual Pursuit Australian Championships and; winning the U19 Criterium Australian Road Championships. Earlier this year she won both the Tasmanian Sports Awards Athlete of the Year and TIS young Athlete of the Year titles.
RC took the a chance to speak with the young star for Bicycles Network Australia (BNA) about her impressive year on the track and what the future holds for her. Amy’s coach, Matthew Gilmore also contributes his thoughts.
BNA: Amy, can you introduce yourself?
Amy: My name is Amy Louise Cure and I like to ride my bike and am currently a student competing year 12.
BNA: What kind of rider is Amy Cure?
Amy: I am a long distance rider on the track. Track endurance and a road rider.
BNA: How long have you been competing in the sport of cycling?
Amy: 5 years
BNA: What inspired you to get into the sport of cycling?
Amy: Going to the Tasmanian SCAT Christmas Carnivals, loved them and enjoyed them and thought I want to do that one day.
BNA: Some women may find cycling and racing daunting….not you?
Amy: No I find it fun. You are racing other girls anyway so it’s not like you have to race the older guys. I’m up for the challenge.
BNA: Congratulations on some great results over the last few years including Gold in the Individual Pursuit, Scratch Race and Teams Pursuit at the Junior Track World Championships in Italy you must have been happy with your results.
Amy: yes I was stoked with my results. I really wanted to go well in the time trial on the road and the individual pursuit on the track so to come home with all those results plus 2 world records in the individual and teams pursuit was an amazing feeling.
Matthew Gilmore (coach) on Amy’s results this year:
“I am very pleased for her. Amy had two goals at the start of the year 1. Win the world pursuit championship 2. Medal in the world time trial championship. She achieved both. Amy Cure is the real deal and has huge future in Australian and world cycling. It’s an absolute pleasure to coach such an athlete.”
BNA: For the Individual Pursuit that’s a flat out sprint, do you pace yourself to a certain degree or go full gas form the gun? How do you take it on?
Amy: Yes is very much to do with pacing yourself. You can not go too hard at the start or you will blow up in the finish, but then you want to get off your bike with nothing left. Pacing is major that every split is the same as the last.
BNA: What has been the highlight of your young career?
Amy: Junior Worlds at Italy for sure.
BNA: What performance/achievement you are the most proud of?
Amy: All my races in Italy were great races to win them all had their own individual reasoning on being the best race for me and I can not chose between them.
BNA: Are you concentrating on your track career or do you want to race road as well? Is it easy to switch between the two?
Amy: It’s defiantly not an easy thing to switch between to. Usually one has to suffer a little bit. But I love doing both and to get away with it is great. But I eventually see myself based on the road long term.
BNA: What are your future goals on the track and on the road? Will we see you at the London Olympics in 2012?
Amy: Well I shall hope you will see me at London. I believe that is a goal that I would love to reach. I think that is why we all are in the sport. To represent our country at races such as the Olympic Games would be a dream come true.
BNA: How much training do you get -What is your average training week like? Is it all on the bike or do you spend time in the gym?
Amy: Yes I am training every night as well as two gym sessions a week. I’m also trying to fit all this is with my schooling commitments as well.
Matthew Gilmore on coaching Amy:
"Amy is a very talented cyclist who has exceptional physiology, but the most encouraging quality Amy displays from a coaching point of view is a gritty determination to succeed. Her work ethic is exceptional and Amy left no stone un-turned in preparation towards this year’s Junior world championship. There was a balancing act in programming Amy’s preparation as she was selected for the road time trial where she finished third and then three days later raced in the track championships. But all in all the road component added another dimension to her track condition, which was reflected in her world record ride in the individual pursuit."
BNA: Do you taper before a big event like the Junior Track World Championships?
Amy: to a certain extent. We don’t want to be going into an event like this tired and lethargic but then we don’t want to be going in so fresh that we can’t wake our body up.
BNA: How does your racing schedule looks like for 2011?
Amy: Very busy. Now I am in U23 I have a lot more opportunities arise. As well as trying to study.
BNA: Often cyclists, don’t like talking about crashes but I have to ask, have you had any crashes in your career? Have you gone down on the track?
Amy: I have only had one crash and it wasn’t a very big crash I got back on my bike and still completed the race. Every cyclist is bound to have a crash someday, im just not waiting for that day.
BNA: Tell us about your interests and pursuits outside of competitive cycling….
I’m currently studding, and about to complete year 12. Next year I am aiming to go to UTas and study either, languages, exercise science or psychology. They all interest me greatly.
Thankyou very much for your time and good luck in 2011!
Photo ? Amy Cure
