Amber Joseph - A Girl on Track
Worlds/Nations Cup 2023
Pan American Gold
Click above to see World Champs final 3 Laps
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NEWS: Sept '24 - After the disappointment of Amber just missing out on gaining a quota place for Barbados at Paris 2024, it was time for reflection. Amber started her career as an aspiring Track Sprinter and we got her up to 4th in GB Nationals (against riders such as Sophie Capewell). But then we followed the endurance route. After the disappointment of 2024 now seems like a good time to see how far she can go down the sprint route. Anyone who knows track cycling, knows that this is a big switch. Although we got Amber up to podium contention as a junior, I haven't coached sprint at international level, so Amber is being guided by previous World Record holder Nicholas Paul. Fingers crossed for this season.
Oct '23 - An up and down year with strong results in the Nations Cup Cairo, but a tricky Pan-Ams Track CC. Despite blips, Amber was still in the UCI World top-20 and made the quota entry for the Omnium at Worlds 2023 (Glasgow) and a place at Paris 2024 is still within sight. The Olympic quota system gives 1st priority to Nations with a Pursuit Team and Madison team, so its tough to get entry for a single rider from a small Nation, but good results in 2024 should secure it.
March '22 Amber remains in the Top-10 of the UCI Rankings for the Omnium and takes her first couple of USA Crit wins with L39ion.
​July '21 After a sparse season disrupted by COVID and lockdowns Amber bounced back with a bang becoming Pan-American Champion for the Scratch race and taking Bronze in the Points race.
Feb '20 After a tough season of World Cups and the World Championships in Berlin, Amber finishes the year ranked 20th in the UCI rankings for the Omnium (the Olympic event) and in the World top 12 for the Scratch Race and Points Race.
Feb '19: Amber qualifies for the World Championships in Poland and takes 7th in the Scratch Race and 11th in the Points (see Video), projecting her upto 3rd in the UCI end-of-season rankings for the Scratch and 10th for the Points Race.
Amber's Story: As a coach you expect to see your athletes progress, but sometimes their progress surprises you. Amber’s progress astounds me. She came to UK in Nov 2013, from Barbados, with very little experience of track cycling and originally found the level of competition in the UK pretty difficult. But in 36months, Amber's hard work had taken her from bunch race novice to a rider ranked as one of the top-5 Junior in UCI rankings. In 2016 Amber had focussed on the sprint route but she also retained her endurance base and after the BC National Champs 2016, where she placed 4th in Sprint she made the jump to track-endurance and went to the 2016 Junior Pan-American Track Champs, where she rode for Barbados, taking 4th in the Scratch Final and a SILVER medal in the Omnium. Amber returned to the Junior Pan-American Track Champs in 2017 repeating her silver in the Omnium, but taking GOLD in the Points Race Championship. In 2018 she turned Senior and competed in the Elite Pan-American Track Champs. From there onwards a string of strong results and medals as a senior athlete has followed.
Alongside her on-bike tenacity and toughness is a lively and enthusiastic personality that has led to her becoming an Athlete Ambassador for the PAN-American Commission and an ambassador for a range of brands such as Rapha Clothing; Wattbike; PedalSure Insurance.
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Photo: Chris Keller-Jackson
Click on Image for example of work with Rapha
Amber is currently based at the UCI Centre in Aigle Switzerland working with Scott Bugden. Amber is also based part of the year in Barbados or the USA based in LA or T-Town. I think Amber will go far, or go fast, or probably both © John Wann, CyclingCoach
Photo: @juliadorothyphoto
Photo: Allen Stone
2023 Results Update
Nations (World) Cup; Cairo Omnium: 9th
Caribbean & Cent-American Championships: Bronze
Barbados National Champion
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2022 Results Update
Pan-American Championships Omnium: Silver
Pan-American Championships Scratch Race: Gold
Pan-American Championships Points Race: Silver
Nations (World) Cup; Omnium: 14th
Commonwealth Games: Scratch Race: 9th
Barbados National Champion
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2021 Results Update
UCI World Championships Scratch Race: 15th
Pan-American Championships Scratch Race: Gold
Pan-American Championships Points Race: Bronze
Pan-American Championships Omnium: 4th
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2020 - Racing suspended by global pandemic
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2019 Results Update
UCI World Championships Scratch Race: 7th
UCI World Championships Points Race: 11th
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Amber has been supported on her journey by: Barbados Olympic Assocation, UCI WCC, L39ion of LA, HandslingBikes, PowerhouseFitness, Wattbike, Pedalsure and Bunn Leisure. We are grateful to all these sponsors, who have provided support for Ambers development, alongside support from ODA & RSR coaches at British Cycling all the wonderful race organisers, commissaires, UCI officials and other riders who have helped Amber - you know who you are!