British Paralympic Cyclists on top of the world

BRITISH PARALYMPIC ASSOCIATION

Britain’s cyclists on top of the world in France

Britain’s top cyclists have won a total of 13 gold medals at the Para-Cycling World Championships in France to finish top of the medal table.

Britain added a further four gold and two bronze medals in the road cycling competitions over the weekend to add to the haul of nine golds, one silver and one bronze they had won on the track earlier in the competition.

This result sees the squad improve on performances at last year’s championships, where Britain finished second in the medal table.

Among the medallists was newcomer Rachel Morris, who took gold in both the time trial and road race in the women’s B category hand-cycle.

There was also a brace of golds for Paralympian David Stone, who won both the time trial and road race in the CP2 tricycle. Meanwhile Britain’s Darren Kenny added another two medals to the three golds he had already taken on the track. This time, however, he had to settle for bronze in both the time trial and road race, finishing behind Spain’s Javier Ochoa and Maurice Eckhard.

Other top performances included newcomers Melanie Easter and Rebecca Rimmington, who just missed out on the podium in both the time trial and road race in the B and V tandem class, with two fourth place finishes.

Simon Richardson was also just outside the medals, with a fifth place in the LC3 time trial, but was forced to pull out of the road race after breaking his collarbone.

These performances will put Britain in a good position ahead of next year’s Paralympic Games as the championships were an opportunity for Britain’s cyclists to score vital ranking points to qualify places for the Games.

The UCI Para-Cycling World Championships take place in Bordeaux, France from August 19 to 27. Britain have entered the largest ever squad in the championships in order to try and qualify as many places as possible for the Beijing.

The British squad for the championships is: Darren Kenny, Mark Bristow, Gary Williams, Jody Cundy, Simon Richardson, Rik Waddon, Anthony Kappes and Barney Storey, Sarah Bailey, Aileen McGlynn and Ellen Hunter, Melanie Easter and Rebecca Rimmington, Russell White, David Stone, Chris Madden, Ian Marsden, Iain Dawson and Bobby De'Ath and Rachel Morris.

For further information about the British Paralympic Association, please contact Sian Davies in the Press Office on 0207 211 5240 or 07721 892686 or by email at sian.davies@paralympics.org.uk. For news updates visit the BPA website at www.paralympics.org.uk