Further glory for one of the most decorated athletes in British sporting history.
“I haven’t had the chance to visit the exact courses but I know from the time I’ve spent in Dumfries that the course will suit me.”
Those were the words of Great Britain’s Dame Sarah Storey earlier this year when asked about her ambitions for the time trial at the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships. Storey indeed proved that the course suited her when she stormed to victory in the Women C5 individual time trial on Thursday.
It was the second day devoted solely to individual time trials (ITT) during the para-cycling road competitions taking place in Dumfries and Galloway in Scotland (Great Britain).
Storey, a mother of two and Active Travel Commissioner for Manchester, had a limited race schedule this calendar year, resulting in an unusually early start time for the 45-year-old. But it didn’t faze the multiple Paralympic gold medallist, who looked fluid and fast on the way to a time of 39:48.89. It looked a stellar effort and proved so, as rider after rider fell well short of Storey’s time. In fact, the closest any rider came was Australia’s Alana Forster, one minute and 14 seconds down. France’s Heidi Gaugain won bronze.
A former swimmer, Sarah Storey has racked more than 40 UCI World titles since starting cycling in 2015.
Bangma and Bos continue their winning streak
The mighty Dutch pairing of Tristan Bangma and pilot Patrick Bos looked equally unstoppable as they rode to gold in the Men B ITT. Their countrymen Vincent ter Schure and pilot Timo Fransen had set a terrific leading time of 32:55.34, which was around 11 seconds quicker than the French duo of Élie De Carvalho and Mickaël Guichard, who’d led for much of the race.
Bangma and Bos knew they were fast after breaking the Men B individual pursuit world record en route to winning gold in the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome exactly seven days ago. Ter Schure and Fransen had set a tough target, averaging 51.394k/hr over the 28.2km. Defending UCI World Champions Bangma and Bos were only 10 seconds ahead at split two but their victory never truly appeared to be in doubt as they rode to another victory in the specialty.
The Brown and Qian show
The Women C1 category racing at the 2023 UCI Cycling Worlds is turning into the Brown and Qian roadshow after, for the fourth time in the last week, they finished in gold and silver positions. At the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome, the score read two-one to Great Britain’s Frances Brown, who won the individual pursuit and scratch race titles, while China’s Wangwei Qian claimed victory in the 500m time trial.
Now, it was onto tarmac, which meant Brown was the favourite. Qian’s more of a track specialist whereas Brown, a former World Champion in paratriathlon, is used to time-trialling on the road. And that experience paid off in Dumfries as Brown won her third gold of the UCI Cycling World Championships in 27:28.57, over two minutes ahead of Qian. Great Britain’s Katie Toft completed the podium.
A fourth for Léauté
France’s Alexandre Léauté racked up his fourth medal, and third gold, of the UCI Cycling World Championships as he rode to Men C2 ITT gold in a time of 23:10.91, which saw the 22-year-old beat Australia’s Darren Hicks by six seconds. Belgium’s Ewoud Vromont won bronze.
Spain’s Ricardo Ten Argiles was overcome with emotion as he was awarded his second gold medal of the Championships after C1 scratch race on the track. The 47-year-old powered to a superb time of 25:04.29 over the 17km parcours to beat Germany’s Michael Teuber by six seconds. Aaron Keith of the United States won bronze.
Gebru in dominant mood
The Netherlands’ Daniel Abraham Gebru obliterated the competition in the Men C5 race against the clock. Eritrean-born Gebru, who recently competed with Dutch UCI Continental Team BEAT Cycling Club, had already won gold on the track in the individual pursuit, beating Ukraine’s Yehor Dementyev by a whisker. Here, there were no such fine margins as his time of 35 minutes was nearly 40 seconds ahead of silver-medallist Lauro Chaman (BRA). France’s Dorian Foulon finished third.
Ireland’s Katie-George Dunlevy and Linda Kelly were in irrepressible mood as they destroyed the opposition in the Women B Time Trial, including the British duo of Sophie Unwin and Jenny Holl who won three gold medals on the track. The Irish pairing confirmed their domination in the time trials at the 2023 UCI Para-cycling World Cup.
Other ITT winners on Thursday included: Frenchman Kevin Le Cunff (Men C4), Germany’s Matthias Schindler (Men C3), and the USA’s Samanatha Bosco (Women C4).
Action continues in Dumfries and Galloway tomorrow with the road races for the different T and H sport classes.
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.