The road race course at the Yverdon round of the UCI Para-cycling Road World Cup is probably the most difficult ever encountered by the athletes on the World Cup circuit.
The event’s Technical Delegate Thierry Diederen stops the car briefly at the top of the main hill to observe how the athletes are coping with the long and challenging climb.
“Why don’t you choose a more difficult course next time,” a handcyclist throws in his direction as he reaches the highest point. Diederen chuckles, then mutters under his breath, “wait til you see Nottwil (the UCI World Championships in Switzerland at the end of July – ed)”.
Diederen has been officiating at UCI para-cycling events since the discipline was integrated into the UCI in 2007 and knows the athletes well. He is intransigent when it comes to the rules, unmoved by protests, but the first to praise the performances of these cyclists.
“Para-cycling has evolved enormously,” he says. “Ten years ago we would never have considered putting cobblestone sections in a race, but five years ago they were introduced for the first time in Segovia (Spain). And we would never have imagined a climb like this one in Yverdon.
“When I started in para-cycling I was working at races for handicapped people. Now I am working for Elite sportsmen and sportswomen."
He points to the average speed of the winning athletes over the 28.3km time trial course in Yverdon: 48.93km/h for the Men’s C5 class, 52.32km/h for the Men’s tandem and 45.19km/h for the fastest Women’s tandem.
“It is clear that these are Elite athletes. Anyone who doubts that should get on a bike and try to ride that fast.
"We are very demanding with them and they get no favours but they appreciate that.”
Diederen, a former competitive cyclist, was working as an International Commissaire for road, track and cyclo-cross when the UCI approached him in 2007 to train as a Commissaire for para-cycling. He hasn’t looked back.
“What I particularly like with para-cycling is the human side of the sport. We become close to the athletes without being intrusive. You try to find solutions to their problems and they realise that you are looking for ways to help them be as competitive as possible.”
Diederen has already acted as President of the Jury at the Giro d’Italia, as well as for major para-cycling events such as the 2012 London Paralympics and the UCI Para-cycling Road World Championships in 2010 and 2011.
“All the Commissaires working at UCI para-cycling events are International Commissaires of a high level and that makes the competitors feel valued.”
As Technical Delegate, Diederen must ensure that the event meets the UCI’s specifications when it comes to logistics, organisation, race routes, safety, signage and traffic control. At a para-cycling event this obviously involves additional considerations and close collaboration with the Organising Committee.
“We are dealing with people who ride tricycles, bikes with adaptations, or handbikes as well as blind athletes and amputees,” points out Diederen. “It’s not just about ensuring the race course is suitable. You also have to look at everything around the race. The hotels, the accreditation centre and the stage for the medal ceremony must all be accessible for people with different levels and means of mobility.”
Some 40 nations have athletes competing in the UCI Para-cycling Road World Cup this year, compared with between 12 and 15 countries eight years back. Diederen has seen the discipline grow and witnessed many emotional episodes.
“It’s non-stop. Every event has its share of moments. Some of the medal ceremonies are quite something. But what touches me the most is that these athletes are lifted to the level of stars. Look at London 2012, all the tickets were sold out before the event even began.”
There is no doubt that Diederen is a fan of para-cycling. But above all he is an International Commissaire and Technical Delegate.
“I don’t even talk about handicaps any more. These are athletes with specificities. And when it comes to the rules, they get no advantageous consideration.”