Jake Latham
The Amy’s Share the Road Tour began on Monday 9 November, leaving Cronulla heading South, the tour will be visiting schools along the way to spread the message of safety.
850-kilometres will be covered over 6 days by thirty-five riders of all levels in Southern New South Wales, including Tour de France winners Brad McGee and Phil Anderson, World Champion silver medalist Rachel Neylan, Commonwealth Games champions Rochelle Gilmore and Ben Kersten, and National Champion Kimberly Wells. The tour it will take them through the Southern Highlands and the Snowy Mountains before finishing in the ACT not long after the ACT Government introduced their overtaking distance legislation on November 1.
In a bid to raise awareness for safe road use between cyclists and cars, the tour is a major fundraiser for the Amy Gillett Foundation, inspired by the message of bike rider safety and sharing the road after Elite Australian cyclist Amy Gillett was hit a killed on a road bike whilst training in Germany in 2005.
The foundation was started by her Husband Simon Gillett and her parents, Mary and Dennis Safe and their current campaign, ‘It’s A Two Way Street’ is in its third phase.
Simon Gillett has said the tour was a tangible way to raise awareness of safety on the road between drivers and cyclist, and has been pushing for legislation to enforce the Meter Matters Campaign.
So far Queensland, South Australia, ACT and Tasmania are either trialling or passing the legislation to regulate the minimum overtaking distances for cars and cyclists.
The foundation’s aim is to have zero bike fatalities by 2020.
So far the tour has stopped at St. Michaels in Thirroul whilst passing through Wollongong and today the tour will go to Berry Public school, followed by Huskisson Primary, then visits to Braidwood Central school, St Bedes, Cooma North Primary and Cooma Public school and finally a stop at McAuley Primary and Tumut Public schools.
Each participant had to raise a minimum of $7,500 to join the ride and pay their own way through the tour to show their commitment to the cause, so far $127,582.02 has been raised with a goal of $250,000.
Follow the ride on twitter with the hashtag #STRT15 and on the AGF website.
