Paralympian #220 Eltje Malzbender crowned an outstanding overall performance at the Zurich 2024 Para cycling Road World Championships by taking her second bronze medal of the week with a podium finish in the Women’s T1 Road Race.
Competing over a total distance of 31.8km in tricky windy conditions which tested the bike control of the Cambridge-based tricyclist, Malzbender rode third from the outset and survived a mid-race crash to retain her position throughout the race.
In the incident, a male Para cyclist competing in the T1 classification rammed into the Kiwi’s front wheel at the bottom of the hill and he fell off his bike. Malzbender thankfully remained upright on the trike.
In a repeat of the same podium finishing order from the Women’s T1 Individual Time Trial earlier in the week – gold was clinched by Marieke Van Soest of the Netherlands with Pavlina Vejvodova of Czechia in silver. A delighted Malzbender, a world champion in this event back in 2019, claimed another podium.
Malzbender, 62, said: “Overall the campaign this week has had its positives with two bronze medals, a personal best for average speed in the time trial and no excessive ataxia in either event.
“I’m grateful to the support of my team – John Blake and my coach Vicki Fleming. Both have ensured the event has run as smoothly as possible.”
Malzbender, who lives with a traumatic brain injury (TBI) following a crash during a training ride, was introduced to riding a tricycle at the Cambridge velodrome and later selected on the HPSNZ Pathway to Podium programme with Paralympics New Zealand in 2018. She represented her country at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games finishing fifth in the Women’s T1-2 Individual Time Trial.
To follow results of the 2024 UCI Para-Cycling Road World Championships go here
Image Credit: (SWpix)
