The New Zealand Para Cycling Team is off to a medal-winning start at the 2023 UCI Para-cycling Road World Cup in Italy. Paralympian #220 Eltje Malzbender has won bronze in the individual Time Trial in a time of 33:53.26. Conditions were wet and cold, making the performance particularly impressive.
The world’s finest road Para cyclists are competing in Maniago 20-23 April, for the first of three 2023 World Cups. With the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games on the horizon, it’s set to be a competitive and exhilarating season.
The first two days will be dedicated to individual time trials, followed by two days of road races, culminating with the team relay on Sunday afternoon. The rest of the New Zealand Para Cycling Team, competing on conventional bicycles, will have their first race tomorrow.
Maniago lies in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region of north-east Italy.
Para athlete | Sports class | Time Trial | Road Race |
|---|---|---|---|
Sarah Ellington | Women's C2 | 5th | 7th |
Anna Taylor | Women's C4 | 9th | 9th |
Nicole Murray | Women's C5 | 5th | 4th |
Eltje Malzbender | Women's T1 | Bronze | Bronze |
Liz Gasson (independent athlete) | Women's C3 | 8th | N/a |
The Road Para Cycling World Cup Series
Following the opening round in Maniago, the athletes will look for further success in Ostend, Belgium, which hosts round two of the Para Cycling Road World Cup (4-7 May). It’s then off to USA for the third and final round, in Huntsville, Alabama (26-29 May).
