London 2012 Para-Cycling: What to Watch

With eight days of Para-Cycling events at London 2012 , here's a quick guide for what spectators should look out for each day. 18 Jul 2012

Oscar Sanchez of USA has been deemed a veteran on the handcycling circuit.

ⒸUS Handcycling

By IPC

Just when you thought you had seen it all, the exciting team handcycling competition will be the final event at Brands Hatch.

30 August (Track)

The Para-Cycling competition begins on the Velodrome track at 9:30 with the women’s individual pursuit in the C1-C3 classes and will shortly be followed by the same event in the C4 and C5 classes. You can expect a tough battle between Great Britain’s 23-time Paralympic medallist Sarah Storey, New Zealand’s rising star in Fiona Southorn and USA’s Greta Neimanas, who will be looking to pull an upset, in the C5 event.

The men’s tandem pursuit and individual time trial in the C1-C3 classes will close out the day. The C3 time trial will include British speedsters Darren Kenny – a multiple Paralympic and world champion – and Shaun McKeown.

31 August (Track)

The second day of Para-Cycling will be headlined by the men’s individual pursuit in the C1-C3 classes, and you should head to the Velodrome to watch all of these races.

The C1 class will provide a spectacle, with Great Britain’s up-and-comer Mark Colbourne, Spain’s Juan Jose Mendez and Germany’s Michael Teuber all reaching for gold.

Ireland’s Colin Lynch, China’s Guihua Liang and Italy’s Fabrizo Macchi will be the trio to watch in the C2 class and Kenny will try to overtake Australia’s David Nicholas in the C3 class.

1 September (Track)

You can see famous Czech para-cyclist Jiri Jezek in action at the Velodrome on this day, as he will go for his tenth Paralympic Games gold in the individual pursuit in the C4 class.

The women’s individual time trial will also take place on this day across the C1-C5 classes, so you will have the chance to see Storey, Southorn and Neimanas battle it out once again.

2 September (Track)

On the final day for the track discipline events, the men’s tandem and team sprints will be held, in addition to the women’s tandem pursuit. Look out for Great Britain’s Anthony Kappes and pilot Craig Maclean, as well as the Netherlands’ Rinne Oost and pilot Patrick Bos.

5 September (Road)

With individual and tandem time trials in nearly every class, the road competition begins with a bang. Head out to Brands Hatch in Kent to see the likes of USA’s Oscar Sanchez, South Africa’s Ernst van Dyk and Canada’s Mark Ledo. The time trial events begin at 10:30 in the morning and will continue through to the early evening hours.

6 September (Road)

The road races will take place in both the men’s and women’s C1-C5 classes, so expect to see Jezek on the podium once again, and be sure to keep your eyes on Australia’s Michael Gallagher and Ukraine’s Yego Dementyev in the men’s C5 class. Just pray for sun and this day could make for a solid outing at Brands Hatch.

7 September (Road)

Former Formula 1 star Alex Zanardi of Italy will attract large crowds to Brands Hatch on this day, as he goes for a medal in the 64km road race in the H4 class. He has been one of the most talked about faces in the Para-Cycling competition, though you will also want to stick around to watch Ireland’s Mark Rohan as well as Sanchez and van Dyk at their prime.

8 September (Road)

Just when you thought you had seen it all, the exciting team handcycling competition will be the final event at Brands Hatch, with a mixed team relay for the H1-4 classes closing out the Para-Cycling events at 17:45 on this day. Head on over to see some of the world’s strongest arms in action as they propel themselves to the finish.