The 2023 UCI Para-cycling Road World Cup begins this week (20-23 April) with the world’s finest para-cyclists competing in Maniago (Italy) for the first of three rounds. With the Paris 2024 Paralympics on the horizon, it’s set to be a particularly competitive and exhilarating season.
The first two days will be dedicated to individual time trials, followed by two days of road races, culminating with the team relay on Sunday afternoon.
Maniago lies in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region of Italy and is known the world over for its production of knives and all kinds of cutting tools. This link can be traced back to 1453 when Nicolo from Maniago obtained permission from the Venice Water Authority to canalise Colvera’s water stream into an irrigation system. Along the same irrigation system, at suitable drops in height, various ironworks were established where, beside farming tools, people also started to produce swords and spears for the Republic of Venice.
The industry continues to this day. But it’s another group of experts at the cutting-edge of their profession who’ll be looking to claim the honours this week, with para-cyclists from all four corners of the globe gravitating to Maniago. Here is a snapshot of some of the stars to look out for…
FINLAY GRAHAM (GBR), MC3
Scotsman Graham comes into the 2023 season after successful two seasons, including two silver medals from the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics – on the track in the C3 individual pursuit and on the road in the C1-C3 road race. That gave the 23-year-old a confidence that saw him win three UCI World titles on the track in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, France, last year plus a gold medal at the 2022 UCI Para-cycling Road World Championships in Baie-Comeau, Canada. Graham will be racing the road and time trial events in Maniago.
KERSTIN BRACHTENDORF (GER), WC5
Brachtendorf turned 50 last year but showed that age is just a number by winning the C5 individual time trial (as well as silver in the road race) at the 2022 UCI Para-cycling Road World Championships in Baie-Comeau. That victory came five years after her first rainbow jersey, in the individual time trial in Pietermaritzburg (South Africa) in 2017. After coming close to a Paralympic medal at London 2012 and Rio 2016, Brachtendorf finally claimed the bronze in the C5 time trial at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, where she also came 5th in the road race. She’ll be gunning for further glory in 2023, starting with the time trial and road race in Maniago.
ALEXANDRE LÉAUTÉ (FRA), MC2
France’s Léauté enjoyed a memorable 2022, not only winning UCI world titles on the track on home soil in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines - in the C2 individual pursuit, 1km time trial, Scratch Race and Omnium - but also in the road race (2nd in the time trial) in Baie-Comeau. Those successes followed a memorable Tokyo Paralympics Games where Léauté won C2 individual pursuit gold, plus silver in the C1-3 1km time trial, as well as two bronze medals on the road: in the C2 time trial and C1-3 road race. In short, Léauté is one powerful and versatile rider. He’ll be looking to shine in Maniago in both the time trial and road race.
MEL PEMBLE (CAN), WC3
Pemble is a sporting phenomenon. In 2018, she competed at the 2018 Paralympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea, finishing in the top-10 of both the downhill and super combined. She then made the switch to para-cycling, and last year came home with two C3 gold medals – in the Omnium (setting an incredible world record in the 200m flying start) and Scratch Race - from her maiden UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines. Pemble is ready to attack 2023, and will race both the road race and time trial in Maniago.
MAXIME HORDIES (BEL), MH1
Twenty-seven-year-old Hordies is a two-time UCI Para-cycling Road World Champion in the H1 category, first tasting road race success in 2019 in Emmen, the Netherlands. He won the title again in Baie-Comeau last year, holding off Italian Fabrizio Cornegliani to win by 5secs. Hordies also has a Paralympic medal to his name, winning bronze in the H1 time trial in Tokyo. In Maniago, he’ll seek a winning start to the 2023 UCI Para-cycling Road World Cup in both the time trial and road race.
Following the opening round in Maniago, the athletes will look for further success in Ostend, Belgium, which hosts round two of the UCI Para-cycling Road World Cup (4-7 May). It’s then off to USA for the third and final round, in Huntsville, Alabama (26-29 May).
Brief explanation of para-cycling sport classes
C – Cycle: conventional bike with adaptations if necessary
T – Tricycle: three-wheeled bike
B – Tandem: for blind or visually impaired athlete with sighted pilot
H – Handcycle
Groups C (1-5), T (1-2) and H (1-5) are divided into different sport classes, with the lower the number indicating greater impairment.