The 2025 UCI Para-cycling Road World Cup drew to an end in Maniago, Italy (15 – 18 May), with a total of 25 nations claiming medals across the two rounds. No fewer than 18 of those nations took home at least one gold medal.
The Maniago competitions came two weeks after the first round of the series, raced in Ostend and Bruges, Belgium (1-4 May). Each round comprised two days of individual time trials (ITT) followed by two days of road races.
Maniago is a wrap! ✅
— UCI Para-Cycling (@UCI_paracycling) May 18, 2025
Incredible racing, unforgettable moments and pure #ParaCycling power on display. 🙌
Full results right here ➡️ https://t.co/TAlxForrlT#ParaWorldCup pic.twitter.com/FjKNdRU7FU
Podium diversity
Reflecting the inclusivity of the event and the depth and breadth of the competition, para-cyclists from some 22 nations took their first medals of the 2025 UCI Para-cycling Road World Cup in the first round in Belgium: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Czechia, Denmark, France, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland and the USA.
In Round 2 they were joined by riders from three more nations – Mexico (including WC2 road race bronze for Gilda Andrea Hernández Ramirez), Slovakia (Jozef Čorej, MH1 road race bronze) and Uzbekistan (including bronze for Marjona Pardaboyeva in both the WT1 ITT and road race, and Aziz Atakhodjaev's silver in the MT1 ITT followed by gold in the road race) – for a total of 25 nations making the podium across the two-round series.
Going for gold
Sixteen nations scored their first gold medals of the campaign in Round 1, with riders from Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, South Korea, Spain and Switzerland and the USA hitting top spot.
A fortnight later they were joined by para-athletes from two more nations: Brazil (with Lauro Cesar Mouro Chaman in the MC5 road race and Victoria Maria De Camargo E Barbosa, WC1 road race and ITT) and Uzbekistan (Aziz Atakhodjaev, MH1 road race), for a total of 18 nations going home with at least one of the 106 gold medals from the two rounds.
Among these gold medalists were UCI World Champions and Paralympic podium athletes, a number going for doubles across ITT and road events, some attempting clean-sweeps across the two rounds of the UCI World Cup, and others forging reputation with debut podium performances.
The battle for top nation
While the two rounds demonstrated the global diversification of para-cycling competition, the more established nations were fighting it out for top spot in the medal table: France and the Netherlands were the chief protagonists.
On the first two days of Round 1, France, Australia and the Netherlands each won four gold medals. On day three, the first day of road races in Bruges, France added six golds to its tally to take the lead in the medal table. Another two on the final day, including in the show-stopping handbike mixed team relay, saw France confirm its top position, with 12 victories and 25 medals over the four days of racing. They were followed by the Netherlands (eight golds out of 12 medals) and the USA (six golds and 15 medals in total).
Round 2 of the UCI Para-cycling Road World Cup in Maniago saw a neck-and-neck battle between France and the Netherlands. Tied nine victories each after three days, France moved ahead on the last day – again victorious in the handbike mixed team relay – to leave Italy with 27 medals (including 13 gold) ahead of the Netherlands (15 medals including 10 gold) and both Italy and Germany won four gold medals out of 13 in total in Maniago.
France ultimately showed their dominance with a final count of 25 golds (52 medals in total). The Netherlands finished with 18 gold medals (27 medals in total), the USA 10 golds (29 medals in total) and Italy with 9 gold medals (26 in total).
Many of the leading para-cycling athletes go straight into preparation for the UCI Para-cycling Road World Championships taking place the last week of August in Ronse, Belgium.
Para-cycling sport classes
C – Cycle: conventional bike with adaptations if necessary
T – Tricycle: three-wheeled bike
B – Tandem: for visually impaired athletes 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 a higher level of impairment.