TASMANIAN cyclist Amy Cure can add world champion to her CV. Just a couple of days after settling for silver in the individual pursuit at the UCI junior world track championships in Moscow, the West Pine teenager went one better.
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The 16-year-old Tasmanian Institute of Sport scholarship holder won the new 7.5km scratch race while Tasmania's other representative at the event, Launceston's Peter Loft, collected a silver in the team pursuit.
``To be on the podium, to represent Australia, to be a world champion is an experience I'll never forget and I was so happy,'' said Cure, who was the reserve rider for the team pursuit event won by her teammates the day before.
``Going into the race I was pretty hungry for the win after my disappointment of missing a ride in the team pursuit.
``I just wanted to do the best I could in the scratch race and to win is really special and emotional.''
Cure rode a tactically perfect race to put herself in the right position for the final sprint which she won ahead of Czech cyclist Lucie Zaleska and Lithuanian Aleksandra Sosenko.
``With three laps to go I was feeling pretty confident. I was sitting in third wheel on the bell lap and with about half a lap to go I started to come around them all to take the win.''
However, there was disappointment for Loft, who fell in the final of the team pursuit.
The 17-year-old's team broke the junior world record to qualify fastest for the gold medal final.
The time of 4:05.352 set by Loft with individual world champion and world record holder Michael Hepburn (QLD), road time trial champion Luke Durbridge (WA) and Dale Parker (SA) pipped the record set earlier in the qualifying round by Russia.
LOOK FOR THE FULL REPORT IN THE EXAMINER TOMORROW