Luke Azzopardi sculpture and $30m road safety campaign unveiled by Cairns Cycling Club

The Cairns Cycling Club has partnered with a campaign to stop 20 riders ending up in hospital everyday, as it unveiled a touching new tribute to fallen member Luke Azzopardi.

JUST over 12-months on from the tragic death of popular rider Luke Azzopardi, the Cairns Cycling Club banded together to unveil a sculpture and launch a campaign in honour of its beloved former member.

About 80 riders set off on a 38km course on Saturday morning before reuniting at the Manunda club to pay respect to Mr Azzopardi and exhibit a monument made from one of his bike frames.

The rising star and gifted former state champion who had been selected to join a prestigious cycling development team in Europe before Covid-19, was hit by a car and died on February 10, 2021.

The 19-year-old was riding along the winding Lake Morris Rd at Kanimbla when he was struck by a car about 6.10pm that evening.

Cairns Cycling Club president James Mort said it was “quite a touching morning” as friends, family and fellow cyclists remembered Mr Azzopardi.

“It was a remembrance event, but the truth is we’ll never forget him. He was a shining light,” Mr Mort said.

Attending the event was the chief executive of the Amy Gillet Foundation, Dan Kneipp.

The foundation established in 2005 following the death of Amy Gillett, who was killed by a driver while she was cycling in Germany with the Australian women’s cycling team, advocates for riders’ road safety.

“They’re hoping to raise $30m to build 100km of separated and dedicated roads for cyclists and at the moment they’re working with Geelong, Canberra and Cairns to be the recipient of their work,” Mr Mort said.

“After Luke’s death we raised $70,000 for the foundation, and now we’re hoping to raise $250,000 for an audit of all roads leading into the Cairns CBD and their safety status for cyclists.”

Cairns Cycling Club's Luke Azzopardi. PICTURE: STEWART MCLEAN

Mr Mort said he not only wanted to achieve safe roads for cyclists in Cairns, but also attract more people into riding.

“Everyone might have the excuse it’s too hot or too wet to ride here. But they’re just excuses.

“The truth is people don’t ride bikes because they think it’s too dangerous.

“Our effort will help to stop the 20 cyclists a day (around Australia) that end up in hospital, and a cyclist dies every nine days in Australia.”

Originally published as Luke Azzopardi sculpture and $30m road safety campaign unveiled by Cairns Cycling Club