Commonwealth Games a `dream'

Count Georgetown resident Amy Moore among the outdoor enthusiasts who aren't complaining about the unseasonably mild winter in Halton Hills in 2006. The 32-year-old professional cyclist was able to train a little more than usual in this area thanks to the lack of snow as she prepared to compete for Canada at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Australia, which began this week. Yes, there was a three-week training stint in Mallorca, Spain with her new T-Mobile world-class pro team to break the monotony of an Ontario winter, but Moore and husband Michael have extensively toured the hills of this area, and when it has snowed, mountain bikes have come in handy. "We're going to be racing against the Australians, who are in peak shape because they just finished their summer season, so we as Canadians have to try to stay on equal ground," said Moore, a Welland native who didn't take up cycling seriously until 1997. And while Moore has competed at large-scale events such as the world championships, the Tour de France and many other stage races, she is eager to be part of the six-person Canadian women's road race team that figures to be in contention for at least one medal. "I just found out (in early January) that I made the team and it's just been a wild dream for me," she said. "The Commonwealth Games is a special event because it's got a different atmosphere with all of the other sports mixed in and that's something I haven't experienced before." Moore will likely take on the "domestique" role on both the Canadian and T-Mobile teams, riding in a support position to help her leading teammate on the day achieve victory. Veteran Canadian rider Lyne Bessette is a teammate of Moore's on both of those teams and is considered a strong medal candidate in Melbourne. Moore has a busy 2006 ahead of her, mainly with the star-laden T-Mobile organization, which lists former world champs Jan Ullrich and Udith Arndt in its stable of riders. After returning from Down Under, the team will head to Europe until the end of May before coming back to North America for a World Cup race in Montreal. Moore decided to leave a technical support job with Oracle eight years ago to pursue her ambition to go as far as she could in cycling and be amongst the elite riders on the planet. "(The 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China) are always in the back of my mind but I'm taking this year-by-year," added Moore, whose coach, former national team rider Denise Kelly, also resides in Georgetown. "I'll see how this year goes and if I'm still enjoying and loving what I'm doing, then I'll continue. I don't want to set up too many expectations because it's all about enjoying this and yet still having those dreams of gold." The Commonwealth Games women's cycling road race will take place on the final day of the two-week competition on Sunday, March 26.