NZ Para Cycling Team will return home victorious as the UCI Para Cycling Track World Championships concludes

The New Zealand Para Cycling Team of 12 Para cyclists will return to New Zealand on Wednesday morning with some considerable hand luggage – rainbow jersey, 1 gold and 3 bronze medals complemented by numerous personal best performances.

International debutants Mitch Wilson and Jackson Ogle (sighted pilot) wrapped up their first UCI Para Cycling Track World Championships with 12th in the Men’s B 200m Sprint following a personal best time in their debut event yesterday.

Visually impaired Para cyclist Mitch Wilson said: “The highlight for me was definitely doing the very best we could and getting the personal best time yesterday in the Men’s 1km Time Trial. I’m looking forward to getting home this week and catching up on my university work as I’m studying political science and psychology. It is a bit of juggle combining training and studying, so it is good to be studying part time at the moment.“

Sighted pilot Jackson Ogle said: “The highlight for me was lining up with Mitch for the first time in the Men’s 1km Time Trial on the first day. We both worked really hard and put it all on the line. Our next steps will be all about getting in some kilometres on the road. We have only been riding together on the tandem for 4 months so it will just all be about getting some time on the bike together.“

Stu MacDonald (Para Cycling Head Performance Coach) said: “To wrap up the UCI Para Cycling Track World Championships we had two tandem’s and a team of 3 competing in the 200m Sprint events. The 200m Sprint events were predominantly an opportunity to gain UCI points to secure slots for New Zealand at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.“

MacDonald complemented Emma Foy and Hannah van Kampen (sighted pilot) on once again giving it their all today to come away with a 5th placing. Tandem pairing of Mitch Wilson and Jackson Ogle (sighted pilot) produced a great personal best yesterday after only riding together for a short time. Team sprint combination of Nikita Howarth, Kate Horan and Nicole Murray where the only all women’s team in the mixed event and executed their race well taking 7/10’s off their performance at the 2018 edition of this event.

MacDonald continued: “Overall, the Team has worked fantastically together and performed really well. This is the biggest Team we have had at a UCI Para Cycling Track World Championships event. Moving forward from here this is the final event for the track Para cycling season. The riders will now get home, take the opportunity for a rest, and then start laying some foundations for the road Para cycling season that is coming up. The key events that the Para cyclists will now focus on include New Zealand Cycling Road Nationals in Timaru in April, then to Belgium for the second round of the UCI Para Cycling Road World Cup, followed by warm weather training in Morocco. This is with an eye on the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games and the high temperatures we are likely to experience. For us now it is about building the structure around the Para cyclists so they can be in their best shape in Tokyo.“

Malcolm Humm (PNZ High Performance Director) who attended the World Championships said: “Para cycling is continuing to be more competitive on the international stage so to bring home a rainbow jersey and 3 bronze medals is an outstanding effort by this Team. There were also some other very encouraging performances that demonstrate Para athletes who didn’t medal are progressing at a rate that indicates they will be strong medal contenders at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. I believe these results are a strong indicator that we have the right leadership, coaching and High Performance Sport New Zealand services in place supporting this group of Para athletes.“

The New Zealand Para Cycling Team will be returning to New Zealand on Wednesday 20 March, 9.30am (Auckland International Airport, NZ283).