Following the success of the Para Cycling Road World Cup series, a 9-strong Para Cycling Team has been named for the 2023 Cycling World Championships in Glasgow, Scotland (Thu 3 Aug – Sun 13 Aug).
The team is headlined by 2022 C5 track world champion, Paralympian #222 Nicole Murray. Murray competes across track and road events. The talented C5 cyclist won gold medals in both events at the Road World Cup in Huntsville, USA, in May. Murray is currently the highest ranked Women’s C5 rider on the road. Meanwhile on the track, she comes to defend her two world titles from 2022 (the Scratch Race and the Omnium). Dame Sarah Storey, the most decorated Women’s C5 rider in history, and Heidi Gauguin, the young French newcomer will be firmly in her sights.
2019 T1 double world champion Paralympian #220 Eltje Malzbender will compete in road events. Trike rider Malzbender won two bronze medals in the Road World Cup series earlier this year.
The team’s glowing credentials are further boosted by Paralympian #213 Sarah Ellington and Paralympian #225 Anna Taylor, competing across track and road events, plus Paralympian #196 Stevo Hills and Paralympian #221 Rory Mead. Handcyclist Mead recently returned to competition for the first time since Tokyo 2020, winning silver and bronze in Huntsville.
Para athlete Devon Briggs had his Track World Championship debut last year, impressing with two silver medals. Briggs will compete in track and road events this year. He is joined by Para athlete Nick Blincoe, also competing in road and track events.
The team is completed by 18-year-old High Performance Development Squad member, Ben Westenberg. Westenberg will make his World Championship debut in Glasgow.
Team Coach Damian Wiseman says:
“This World Championships team has great depth and opportunity. A year out from the Paris 2024 Paralympics, it’s a great opportunity for some of our emerging athletes, like Devon Briggs and Ben Westenberg, to compete among the very best and test themselves.
“Meanwhile Nicole is looking at the challenge ahead of her. She is looking to cement her position as the number one Women’s C5 rider a year out from the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.”
‘Super Worlds’
The 2023 World Championships are unique, being the first ever ‘Super Worlds’. This means that almost all cycling disciplines are being hosted in one event in Glasgow, Scotland. It is also the first time the Para cycling schedules for track and road are in the non-disabled programme at a World Championships.
Having Para and non-disabled competitors at one event will create an even bigger Kiwi buzz than usual at the event. The Para cyclists are looking forward to cheering on their colleagues from the NZ Cycling Team.
Para cyclist | Classification | Competing in | Hometown |
|---|---|---|---|
Para athlete Nick Blincoe | C4 | Track and road | Cambridge |
Para athlete Devon Briggs | C3 | Track and road | Cambridge |
Paralympian #213 Sarah Ellington | C2 | Track and road | Greymouth |
Paralympian #196 Stevo Hills | T2 | Road | New Plymouth |
Paralympian #220 Eltje Malzbender | T1 | Road | Cambridge |
Paralympian #221 Rory Mead | H2 | Road | Ohio, USA |
Paralympian #222 Nicole Murray | C5 | Track and road | Otorohanga |
Paralympian #225 Anna Taylor | C4 | Track and road | Cambridge |
Para athlete Ben Westenberg | C5 | Track and road | Tauranga |
