The first full day of the 2022 UCI Para-cycling Road World Championships in Baie-Comeau, (Canada), devoted entirely to time trials, provided an exhibition of world-class racing. Italy and the Netherlands currently head the medal table after winning four gold medals apiece of the 14 on offer.
Italy in sublime form
In the men’s H1 18.9km time trial, Italy’s Fabrizio Cornegliani won gold in an impressive time of 47:41mins ahead of South Africa’s Nicolas Pieter Du Preez and Belgian’s Maxime Hordies. It was sweet revenge for 53-year-old Cornegliani who finished second to Hordies in the UCI Para-cycling Road World Cup after last weekend’s final round in Quebec City. It was a superb effort from the Italian who retains the title he won in Cascais, Portugal, last year.
In the men’s H3 category, Italy enjoyed near total domination, grabbing three of the top four spots. Paolo Cecchetto, two-time Paralympic gold medallist from Rio (2016) and Beijing (2008), took the victory in 31:42mins ahead of local favourite Charles Moreau (31:55mins), cheered on by a supportive home crowd. Italy’s Mirko Testa and Federico Mestroni finished third and fourth, respectively.
Giorgio Farroni added to his UCI World Cup crown with gold in the men’s T1 time trial in 37:31mins. It was the 46-year-old’s ninth victory out of 10 races this season. Canada’s Nathan Clement won silver with Spain’s Gonzalo Garcia Abella taking bronze.
Simona Canipari completed the Italian quartet by winning gold in the women’s H1 time trial in 43:31mins.
Plat leads the Dutch charge
The Netherlands’ Jetze Plat celebrated his 10th UCI Para-cycling Road World Championships appearance in style by storming to the H4 title in 28:10mins, just under 30secs ahead of Thomas Fruhwirth (AUT) in second and Poland’s Rafal Wilk, who finished second in the UCI Para-cycling Road World Cup, in third.
The Netherlands enjoyed further success thanks to the efforts of Mitch Valize, who won the H5 category in a dominant time of 28:18mins. Loïc Vergnaud of France won silver, nearly a minute down on Valize, with Luis Costa taking bronze.
In the women’s T1, Marieke van Soest won gold in 42:49mins, ahead of Mexico’s Dulce Gonzalez Guerrero in second and Shelley Gautier (CAN) in third. Thirty-three-year-old van Soest’s victory was her seventh in eight races in 2022.
And who else but Jennette Jansen made it four golds for the Netherlands, winning the H4 time trial in 36:06mins. The 54-year-old, who in Tokyo won Paralympic gold an incredible 33 years after her first, was nearly 1:20mins ahead of Norway’s Suzanna Tangen in second. Switzerland’s Sandra Stöckli won bronze.
Elsewhere, Spain’s 43-year-old Sergio Garrote Munoz (H2) took an emotional win, one week after sealing overall victory in the UCI Para-cycling Road World Cup in Quebec City. He rode to gold in 33:31mins after an effort that averaged 33.83km/hr. France’s Florian Jouanny came second with Germany’s Manuel Scheichl in third.
There were also victories for Tim Celen of Belgium in the men’s T2 time trial, Katerina Brim (USA) in the women’s H2, Germany’s Annika Zeyen in the H3, Oksana Masters (USA) in the H5 and Angelika Dreock-Kaser (GER) in the T2.
The action continues tomorrow from Baie-Comeau, Canada.
Brief explanation of para-cycling sport classes
C – Cyclist: conventional bike with adaptations if necessary
T – Tricycle: three-wheeled bike
B – Visually impaired: tandem bicycle ridden with sighted pilot
H – Handbike
Each group is divided into different sport classes (1 to 5), with the lower the number indicating greater impairment.