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“It must be some kind of record,” Amanda Spratt pondered her eleven-year tenure at GreenEdge as she rang in the new year wearing brand new colours, debuting her Trek-Segafredo kit in the kick-off to the summer racing season in Australia.
“I was definitely a bit nervous. I was also laughing to myself a bit at the same time because, yeah, I’ve been with GreenEdge for 11 years,” Spratt told Cyclingnews in an interview over the phone from her parent’s home among the Blue Mountains in New South Wales.
Spratt’s name has become synonymous with the Australian outfit after forging a successful career since signing her first pro contract with Orica-AIS in 2012. Newly named Jayco AlUla, the home team typically fields one of the strongest rosters during the summer racing calendar.
Spratt’s absence will be noticeable after her career move to rival team Trek-Segafredo, which could give the American outfit the winning edge this year.
“It’s been nice to have a long time here at home in Australia, and not feel rushed, and to get a nice training block in to prepare for the racing. It’s my first normal pre-season at home since 2019. So, that also feels pretty nice,” said Spratt, who arrived in Australia in November.
COVID-19 lockdowns, illnesses and injuries have marred her previous three seasons, and she most recently underwent successful surgery to correct iliac artery endofibrosis heading into 2022. However, she said it took a year to rebuild her strength and that this off-season had gone better than planned.
Spratt has spent some much-needed time at home with her family, and combined with four or five weeks of training in the warm summer sun, she feels ready to test her legs in competition.
“I got time to see my three little nieces and a nephew, so spend time with them, and I’m at home with mom and dad, so getting spoiled by mom. I’ve been training with my brother again. And I’ve been down at the local cycling club doing some races, some normality, and just enjoying it.”
Spratt is already off to a strong start with a second-place finish in her debut in Trek-Segafredo colours – while racing for the Novotel Prestige Jayco composite team – at the Citroën Bay Crits. Still, she’s targeting some of the bigger races later in January at the Australian National Championships and the two Women’s WorldTour events, Tour Down Under and Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race.
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