Since competing at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, Paralympian #229 Devon Briggs believes a coaching switch and a new approach to training has provided fresh impetus to his Para cycling career.
Devon enjoyed a memorable 2025 claiming a gold and two silver medals at the UCI Para cycling Track World Championships in Rio, and his accomplishments have been rewarded as one of five finalists in the ISPS Handa Para Athlete/Team of the Year category at the 2026 Halberg Awards at Auckland’s Spark Arena on Monday evening (16 February).
Now looking ahead to a busy year of international competition he said: “Rio was a very good learning and stepping stone for me,” he explains. “I had some very good racing overall and made the most of the opportunity.”
Devon had enjoyed an excellent 2024 winning three medals – including gold in the Men’s C3 1000m Time Trial – at the UCI Para cycling Track World Championships – and he was tipped to be a strong podium contender at Paris 2024. However, just prior to his debut Paralympic Games he sustained a fractured sacrum and dislocated coccyx in a training crash which compromised his challenge in the French capital. Competing in pain from the injuries, he finished fifth in the Men’s C3 3000m Individual Pursuit – just 0.077 shy of a ride-off for the bronze medal – and seventh in the Men’s C1-3 1000m Time Trial.
On his return to training post-Paris 2024 he connected with a new coach, Brendon Cameron, and the move has proved inspirational. Having previously evenly split his road and track sessions each week, since training under Brendon’s guidance he commits to five to six road sessions per week and one track session per week, which Devon insists has proved beneficial.
Adopting a more road-centric approach to training and a weekly mileage of around 400km, Cambridge-based Devon says: “This has helped build that big aerobic capacity which allows me to smash it when I come out on the track. I definitely feel a lot stronger. Between efforts, I feel more ready to go again.”
“I’ve loved going out and riding on the road and I look forward to riding more World Cups and World Championships on the road.”
Training alongside some of New Zealand’s elite non-disabled riders such as double Olympic track champion Ellesse Andrews, Devon has unquestionably benefited from the road work, and he also praises the coaching input of Brendon, the Lead Para Cycling Coach at Cycling New Zealand (CNZ).
“He’s very good to work with, we can discuss training together and how I’m feeling for the next week,” adds Devon. “We have very honest and open feedback.”
Also in 2025, Devon and the other elite New Zealand riders had to adapt to a new programme of events focused more on bunch racing rather than individual timed events. While this required a new approach and fresh mindset, Devon admits he was comfortable with the changes adopted by the UCI (the international governing body for cycling) to make the Para sport more appealing.
“I’ve grown up bunch race through the age groups, so for me going out and racing an elimination, scratch race or a match sprint is no problem,” he explains. “I quite enjoy the bunch aspect. It makes it more unpredictable; it is quite refreshing. It requires greater bike handling skills, and you are definitely pushed out of your comfort zone.”
The unpredictability of bunch racing was never more apparent than at the 2025 UCI Para cycling Track World Championships in Rio. There Devon earned silver medals in the Men’s C3 Sprint and Men’s C3 1000m Time Trial races, but he was caught out tactically in the elimination race and missed out on a medal. However, showing great mental fortitude he roared back to take gold in the Men’s C3 Scratch Race.
“I didn’t ride my best race in the Elimination Race, but I had to fully reset and change my outlook to racing, make it more about riding the bike and having fun.”
Delighted with his overall efforts in Rio – in which an impressive New Zealand team claimed an outstanding 13 medals – he describes being a finalist in the Para Athlete of the Year/Team of the Year category – alongside Paralympians #164 Cameron Leslie MNZM, #210 Lisa Adams, #211 Danielle Aitchison, and #222 Nicole Murray – as “surreal” and he has many happy memories of the event.
“I’ve always watched the Halbergs on TV and I never thought that one day that would be me as a finalist,” explains Devon, 22. “The whole event is amazing, a great celebration of sport and if I could win it, it would be something I would be so grateful for.”
After making a strong start to the year with medals at the UCI Oceania Track Cycling Championships, Devon looks ahead with optimism to a year which includes the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, UCI Para cycling Road World Championships in Huntsville, USA, and UCI Para cycling Track World Championships in Apeldoorn, Netherlands.
Striving for medals on the international stage in the countdown to the LA28 Paralympic Games he says: “I’m in a good place both on and off the bike. I’m pushing really well at the moment and I’m looking forward to the year ahead.”
***The 63rd ISPS Handa Halberg Awards will be broadcast live on Sky Sport and free-to-air on Sky Open from 8pm on Monday 16 February.
Image: Simon Wilkinson/SWpix.com
