TASMANIA'S Amy Cure has turned her cycling dream into reality by winning her maiden senior world title at the 2014 UCI track cycling world championships in Cali, Colombia.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The 21-year-old West Pine cyclist rode a superb race to claim the women's 25-kilometre points race ahead of Germany's Stephanie Pohl and Canada's Jasmin Glaesser.
It was the third podium appearance in three days for Cure after she took bronze in both the team and individual pursuit events.
``It is pretty unbelievable, It has been so long, to finally get a world championship, it is all I have ever dreamed about,'' said Cure, who won four world titles on the track in 2009 and 2010 in the under-19 age group.
``Four times junior world champion, but all I have ever wanted was that senior title.
``It has taken a few years, but to finally get there, words can't really express how I am feeling.''
Cure became just Australia's second champion in the event following Katherine Bates's 2007 world title.
She had an enthralling battle with Pohl, leading an attack after the fourth sprint as the pair took a lap on the field and swapping the race lead throughout.
Leading by five points heading into the final sprint, the determined Tasmanian held her nerve to claim victory on 38 points from Pohl on 35 and Glaesser 32.
``Taking the lap took a lot longer than I thought it would, but when I finally got on, I just knew I had to sit in for a few sprints and recover,'' Cure said.
``It is a bit surreal . . . my main focus coming here was the team pursuit and the individual pursuit, the points race probably wasn't my main focus, so to pull this off, I am stoked.''
Cure said it had been an amazing 18 months since travelling to the London 2012 Olympic Games as part of the Australian team, but failing to gain a berth in an event.
She claimed the individual and team pursuit titles at the national championships in Adelaide in January.
``I would like to thank my coaches Gary Sutton and Matthew Gilmore, my family and friends back home who have supported me the whole through all the hard times.
``Also to my teammates, when you go to event like this so far from home, your teammates become your family.
``So it was awesome to have them on the sidelines, cheering me and I can't thank them enough for getting me to the finish line.''