News: Gold for GB at Paracycling Worlds

Jody Cundy and Kadeena Cox won their respective time trial events as Great Britain enjoyed a successful first day at the UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships in the Netherlands.

News: Gold for GB at Paracycling Worlds

British Cycling Press Release | Photos: SW Pix

Jody Cundy and Kadeena Cox won their respective time trial events as Great Britain enjoyed a successful first day at the UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships in the Netherlands. Cundy registered his 11th consecutive MC4 kilo world title in a time of 1:05.422, over a second clear of the silver medallist, Jozef Metelka of Slovakia.

Cundy said: “The time is still pretty reasonable, but I’ve set my standards higher than that. I’m happy to win a gold medal and a rainbow jersey, even if my face at the end didn’t suggest so! But that’s my 11th title in a row now, so it’s a good place to be in looking ahead to Tokyo next year.”

Also claiming a rainbow jersey was Kadeena Cox, who was in exceptional form in the WC4 500m time trial, setting a time – 36.176 – which none of the rest of the field was able to get close to. The ride saw Cox reclaim the world title she last won three years ago, and afterwards, the Leeds-born rider said: “This is what we train for. At a championship you want that jersey and that’s what I’ve got.I’m relatively happy with my performance. I’m happy to get the win but there was a bit of a technical issue with the gate, so the time wasn’t what I wanted. It’s frustrating that I’ve gone so quick with a bad start, but I guess that suggests there’s more to come.”

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Dame Sarah Storey – back in track world championships action for the first time since 2016 – won Britain’s first medal of the event, claiming an impressive silver in the WC5 500m time trial. The multiple world and Paralympic champion held the led until the turn of the final competitor after registering a time of 38.111, but Dutch reigning champion Caroline Groot proved too strong, recording 36.464 to win gold. Storey’s team-mate, Crystal Lane-Wright, finished eighth in a time of 40.049.

Blaine Hunt upgraded the bronze he won last year to silver in the MC5 kilo, clocking 1:06.406, which was only beaten by the final rider to compete, Spaniard Alfonso Cabello Llamas. Jon Gildea finished agonisingly close to the medal positions, with his time of 1:06.624 earning him fourth place.

Sarah Storey

Katie Toft won her second successive WC1 pursuit title in a time of 4:43.767, while Fin Graham was just edged out of the medals in the MC3 pursuit. Graham beat Diederick Schelfhout in qualifying, but the Belgian got the better of the young Scot when they faced each other again in the bronze medal final. Ben Watson finished eighth in the same event.

Earlier in the day, Megan Giglia had to settle for sixth place in the WC3 pursuit. The eventual winner, Australia’s Paige Greco, broke Giglia’s world record in qualifying, then defeated defending champion Denise Schindler in the final. Louis Rolfe and Matthew Robertson finished eighth and 12th respectively in the MC2 pursuit.

Competition continues today, when endurance tandem duos Lora Fachie and Corrine Hall, and Steve Bate and Adam Duggleby, will defend their pursuit titles.