The 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships are the first event of their kind. These ‘Super Worlds’ will bring together the world’s greatest cyclists in and around Glasgow from 3 to 13 August 2023. 13 different cycling disciplines – usually contested at separate events – will all be part of the ‘Super Worlds’.
Road Para cycling at the Cycling World Championships
Road Para cycling is one of the disciplines that will be featured at the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships. It is a sport for Para athletes with physical impairments or visual impairments. The Para athletes compete on bicycles, tricycles, handcycles or tandem bikes. The races are divided into different categories based on sports class, and the equipment used.
Road cycling at the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships will take place in Dumfries and Galloway. It’s a region in southwest Scotland that offers stunning scenery, rolling hills and challenging courses. The event will showcase the skills, speed and endurance of the Para cyclists as they vie for the coveted rainbow jerseys.
Para cyclists to watch
New Zealand will have a strong representation of Para cyclists at the event, including:
- Nicole Murray (New Zealand, C5): Paralympian #220 and two-time track Para cycling world champion. Nicole had an all-gold Road Para Cycling World Cup in May. She competes in the C5 category for athletes with the least impairment, such as a single amputation.
- Eltje Malzbender (New Zealand, T1): Paralympian #220 and 2019 double world champion. Eltje competes in the T1 category for athletes with severe impairments affecting coordination. She uses a tricycle to maintain balance.
Some of the top overseas Para cyclists to watch at the event include:
- Sarah Storey (Great Britain, C5): The most decorated British female Paralympian of all time, Storey has won 17 gold medals across swimming and cycling events. She is also a 41-time world champion and a dominant force in Para cycling.
- Jetze Plat (Netherlands, H4): The Dutch star is a double Paralympic champion and one of the world’s most famous handcyclists. He is also a Para triathlete who won gold at Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020.
- Shawn Morelli (USA, C4): The American rider is a three-time Paralympic champion and a 12-time world champion. She is also a former US Army engineer who was injured by an improvised explosive device (IED) in Afghanistan in 2007.
Track Para cycling at the Cycling World Championships
The 2023 World Championships in Scotland will also feature Track Para cycling.
Para cycling on the track is a sport for Para athletes with physical impairments or visual impairments. They compete on fixed-gear bicycles and tandems on a velodrome. This is a circular indoor or outdoor track with steeply banked curves. The races are divided into different categories based on the athletes’ sports class.
Track Para cycling at the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships will take place at the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome. It’s a state-of-the-art facility that was built for the 2014 Commonwealth Games and has hosted several major cycling events since then. The event will feature a range of qualifying and finals events in each session, with track and Para cycling track combining into a completely integrated competition schedule.
Para cyclists to watch
New Zealand will have several talented Para cyclists at the event, including:
- Nicole Murray (New Zealand, C5): Also mentioned in Road Para cycling above, the talented Paralympian comes to defend her two track world titles from 2022 (the Scratch Race and the Omnium).
- Devon Briggs (New Zealand, C3): Devon blasted onto the track Para cycling stage at the 2022 Track World Championships. There, he won two silver medals aged just 18.
- Anna Taylor (New Zealand, C4): The Cambridge local made her Paralympic debut at Tokyo 2020 and will compete in road and track events in Glasgow. Anna won two bronze medals at the 2022 Track World Championships.
Some of the top overseas Para cyclists to watch at the event include:
- Jody Cundy (Great Britain, C4): The veteran rider is an 8-time Paralympic champion and a 22-time world champion. He is a former Para swimmer who won Paralympic medals in the pool before switching to Para cycling in 2006.
- Alfonso Cabello (Spain, C5): The Spanish sprinter is a 5-time Paralympic medallist and a 6-time world champion. His top event is the men’s C5 kilometer time trial, which he took the world record for. He is a former footballer who lost his left arm in an accident when he was 18 years old.
- Amanda Reid (Australia, C2): The Australian cyclist is a Paralympic champion. She holds the women’s C2 500-metre time trial world record.
The 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships will be an exciting and inspiring spectacle. Let’s celebrate the power of the bike and the spirit of our Para athletes. Follow the official event Instagram:
