Feature: On the Road to Rio Paralympics

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Feature – On the Road to the Rio Paralympics 2016 with tandem record breakers Adam Duggleby and Steve Bate

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Feature: On the Road to Rio Paralympics

The Rio 2016 Paralympic Games are less than a month away and the tandem time trial record holders Steve Bate (38) and Adam Duggleby (31) are in their final preparations. Although they are not strangers to the international racing scene this is the first time the pair have competed at the Paralympics. Both men are showing great form with their recents outings and will be aiming for medals in the 3 events they are competing in.

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This relatively new pairing first met in Bath on a British Cycling Paracycling Development Training Camp in 2014. Bate had been with the development program for 4 months and was paired with Olympic gold medalist Jason Queally. However paired with Duggleby they proved to be a strong endurance combination claiming the National Paracycling Circuit and Time Trial Championships and winning their first international stage race, the Dutch Tandem Trophy, and haven’t looked back.

They continued their form on the world stage in 2015 winning 4 UCI Paracycling World Cup medals including a Gold in the Time Trial in South Africa. After defending their National titles for a 3rd time earlier this year the pair just missed a medal by 1 second during the UCI Paracycling Track World Championships in Italy. However they smashed their own National 4km Pursuit record by 7 seconds lowering it to a very respectable 4:16.555; which is faster than the Gold ride in London 2012. To cement thier place in the Paracycling GB team for Rio they gained a Bronze medal during the World Cup Time Trial in Belgium.

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Since then the pair have broken the 10 mile National TT tandem record twice with 17.10 and 17.06. They are hoping to get the first ever 16 minute ride in the future.
Recently they also broke Sean Yates and Michael Hutchinson’s seemingly unbreakable 10 year old 25 mile record, lowering it to an astonishing 43.23.

Duggleby proved he is in form by gaining his best ever result in the National 25 mile TT Championships. ‘I was hoping for my best result at a nationals, which meant bettering my 7th place from 2012. When I came in to see I was 5th and only 20 seconds off a medal it was disappointing, however this wasn’t a priority. ”I’m really happy with my form and it bodes well for Steve and I at the Paralympics!’ Said Duggleby.

We asked Bate how his preparations are going for the fast approaching Paralympic’s. “I’ve only been riding for 3 years so I’ve had to work extremely hard to get to Adam’s level. Adam has been instrumental in my development and is constantly raising the bar. I have set a very high standard for myself this year and working with our physiologist Dan Henchy I have really stepped up. It’s exciting to see what we can go out there and do.”

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The pair start their Paralympic bid on the 8th September, the first day of competition in the 4km tandem pursuit (B/VI), day seven for the time trial and the 10th and final day of competition is the road race. With three events to go at the pair hope to come back with at least one medal and we wish them the best of luck.

You can follow the pair on twitter up to and during the games on @a_duggleby and @kiwistevebate

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