Australian cyclist killed in training in Germany

SYDNEY - An Australian road cyclist was killed and five of her team mates injured when a car ploughed into the group while they were on a training ride in Germany overnight.

Amy Gillett, 29, died in the accident near the German city of Leipzig, a Cycling Australia spokeswoman said.

The injured riders, all fellow members of the Australian Institute of Sport women's road squad, were named as Katie Brown, Lorian Graham, Kate Nichols, Alexis Rhodes and Louise Yaxley.

The international cycling website cyclingnews.com said three of them were in a critical condition after being taken to hospital by helicopter.

Early reports said the cyclists were struck when a car driven by an 18-year-old woman who had just got her licence crossed onto the wrong side of the road.

"It was a runaway car with an 18-year-old driver," an AIS spokesman told AAP.

The race for which the team was training, the Tour of Thuringen, has been postponed and a memorial service will be held for Gillett tomorrow.

Lorna Graham of Rockhampton, whose 27-year-old daughter, Lorian, was one of the injured, said her daughter had suffered broken bones in the accident.

"There were six (cyclists) total. They were riding along and a car came over the white line and hit them head-on," she told ABC radio.

"I've been told Lorian is one of the better ones out of it. One poor girl has been killed and I'm not sure what the other four people are like as I haven't heard as yet."

The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said the accident happened while the team was on a training ride at Zeulenroda, 80km south of Leipzig.

"Our ambassador and the consul have arrived in Zeulenroda to provide consular assistance and liaise with local authorities," a DFAT spokeswoman said.

Adelaide-born Gillett (nee Safe), a PhD student at the University of South Australia, is a former Olympic rower - she won gold medals in junior events in 1993 and 1994 and was a member of the Australian women's eight which finished fifth in the Atlanta Games.

Her husband Simon was formerly her rowing coach.

She switched to cycling in 2000, and was a member of the Ballarat Cycling Club, but had been based in Novellara, Italy, for the European summer.

She was a member of the Australian World Cup cycling teams in 2002 and 2003 and was a contender for the Australian team at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne in March next year.

Ranked in the top 100 women road cyclists in the world, she has raced regularly in road time trials in Australia, New Zealand and Europe in the past three years.

- AAP