Friends, family & team-mates commemorate Amy Gillett

Image 1 of 6

Last night after the prologue of the Thüringen Rundfahrt, the Mayor of Thuringen put on a concert for the family and friends of Amy Gillet, who died after being hit by a car preparing for this very race one year ago. After an emotional couple of days in memory of Amy, the concert was a cheerful celebration of Amy's life and the amazing things that have come from her tragic death.

The morning saw a private ceremony at the scene of the accident, where Amy's parents Mary and Denis Safe, husband Simon Gillett and other close friends and fellow cyclists gathered for a ceremony held by a local minister. Mary and Denis Safe unveiled a plaque in memory of Amy which will remain at the site.

The last few days have been a very emotional time for the people close to Amy and also for her teammates involved in the crash. All of them are still recovering from the injuries they sustained in the accident, and it was also important for some of them to make this trip for their emotional recovery. "Just coming back here is important," said Louise Yaxley who has made a remarkable recovery, but is still going through intense physical therapy for her injuries.

This day was also very important for the Amy Gillett Foundation, set up to foster better relations between cyclists and motorists, fund young female riders and assist the crash survivors. As the Foundation's general manager, Melinda Jacobsen, told Cyclingnews on Monday, "out of adversity comes fortune" and the Amy Gillett Foundation, with so much enthusiasm behind it and the support of Mary and Denis Safe and Amy husband Simon Gillett, is now working hard toward its goals.

By creating awareness and trying to establish a harmonious relationship between cyclists and motorists the Foundation hopes to decrease the number of accidents between motorists and cyclists on the road in an attempt to prevent a repeat of the crash that took Amy's life.

In its quest for safer roads, the foundation has recently begun screening a TV commercial in Australia that encourages riders and motorists to understand each other. Its support of the next generation of Australian female cyclists through the Amy Gillett Scholarship saw the Foundation recently give its first award to Canberra cyclist Jessie MacLean.