USA Triumphs at 2011 UCI Para-Cycling Road World Championships in Roskilde

Four days of racing at the highest international level came to a close at the 2011 UCI Para-cycling Road World Championships in Roskilde at the weekend, with USA dominating the medals table, with nine gold medals. Germany came home with six and Australia won five golds. Canada, Switzerland, Italy and France all achieved four gold medals.

C-Class

The C-classes, which are two-wheeled bicycles, were extremely tactical and tough races.

In the Women’s C1 race Australia’s Jayme Paris (1:38:35) came first. In the Men’s C1 class, German riders dominated the podium, as Michael Teuber (1:38:11) repeated the gold medal from Thursday's time trial, while Erich Winkler (1:39:57) and Pierre Senska (1:41:35) took silver and bronze respectively.

USA’s Allison Jones dominated the Women’s C2 race, finishing first in a time of 1:22:52. Spain’s Raquel Poncelas (1:25:24) took silver and the Czech Republic’s Tereza Diepoldova (1:27:41) won bronze.

In Men’s C2 class, there was almost a dead heat between the first four racers, who all recorded a time of 1:36.04. But Columbia’s Alvaro Galvis Becerra crossed the finish line first. Germany’s Tobias Graf came second and Britain’s Simon Anthony Price third.

Germany’s Denise Schindler (1:22:52) took gold in the Women’s C3 race. In the Men’s C3, all podium finishers raced in a time of 1:36.03. Belgium’s Kris Bosmans had the edge, taking gold, Australia’s David Nicholas won silver and Italy’s Roberto Bargna came third.

In the Women’s C4 race, Australia’s Susan Powell took gold in a time of 1:49:25. In the Men’s C4, Italy’s Michele Pittacolo was ahead of the pack, finishing in a time of 1:52.06. Racers two to 14 all finished in a time of 1:53.00, but Romania’s Eduard Carol and Norway’s Morten Jahr had the edge winning silver and bronze respectively.

In the women’s C5 race, the big favorite, Sarah Storey of Great Britain, won in a time of 1:40.42, but she faced stiff competition from Poland’s Anna Harkowska who finished with the same time. Storey’s teammate Crystal Lane (1:41.34) took bronze.

The top seven riders in the Men’s C5 race all finished with a time of 1:51.53, but the gold was won by Spain’s Jose Diego Jara Vidal, with Brazil’s Joao Alberto Schwindt Filho and Soelito Gohr coming in second and third place respectively.

Handbike

In the Women’s H1 race, USA’s Cassie Mitchell won gold in a time of 1:20:31. In the Men’s H1 Road Race Ireland’s Mark Rohan was triumphant in the Men’s H1 race, finishing in a time of 1:31:24. But hot on his heels was France’s Alain Quittet (1:31:38 ) and Israel’s Koby Lion (1:31:52) who took silver and bronze respectively.

The Swiss were triumphant in both the Men’s and Women’s H2 races. Ursual Schwaller won gold in the women’s race with a time of 1:27:52. USA’s Marianna Davis (1:30:58) took silver and Great Britain’s Karen Darke (1:31:32) won bronze.

Switzerland’s Jean-Marc Berse defended his title in the Men's H2-class, winning gold in a time of 1:38:43. Silver went to Italy’s Paolo Cecchetto and bronze to Germany’s Max Weber, both finishing in a time of 1:40:19.

The USA’s Monica Bascio won a close race in the H3 class to win gold against Switzerland’s Sandra Graf, both finishing in a time of 1:27:47. Great Britain’s Rachel Morris took bronze in 1:36:50.

In the men’s H3 class, the top five races clocked a time of 1:41.09, but France’s Joel Jeannot succeeded in taking gold ahead of Poland’s defending champion Arkadiusz Skrzypinski. Canada’s Mark Ledo took bronze. Both the H2 and H3 classes were ridden at an average speed of around 37 km/h.

Germany dominated the women’s H4 races, with Dorothee Vieth (1:26:55) and Andrea Eskau (1:31:26) winning gold and silver respectively. Netherlands’ Laura de Vaan (1:31:26) was close behind taking bronze.

In men’s H4 race, the favorite Oscar Sanchez from the USA surprisingly ended the race in sixth place. All podium finishers completed the race in a time of 1:45.52 with South Africa’s Ernst van Dyk taking gold. Belgium’s Wim Decleir came second and Germany’s Norbert Mosandl won bronze.

Mixed Team Relay

In the Mixed Team Relay USA’s Matthew Updike, Marianna Davis and Oscar Sanchez road to victory in a time of 1:14:27. Switzerland’s team (1:14:29) of Franz Nietlispach, Ursula Schwaller and Jean-Marc Berset came second. The bronze medal went to France’s Ludovic Narce, Alain Quittet and Joel Jeannot.

Tricycle

Canada’s Shelley Gautier took gold in the Women’s T1 race in a time of 1:24:34. Silver went to the Czech Republic’s Iveta Kolinska.

In the Men’s T1, Croatia’s Mario Alilovic was triumphant, winning gold. All medal winners crossing the finish line in a time of 1:11:06. Spain’s Ator Flores and France’s Quentin Aubague settled for silver and bronze respectively.

In the women’s T2 race, Canada was again triumphant with Marie-Eve Croteau (1:02:35) taking gold. Australia’s Carol Cooke (1:08:27) won silver and Germany’s Jana Majunke (1:11:00) bronze.

In the T2 race, Italy’s Giorgio Farroni took gold in a time of 56:58. The second to fifth places all finished in a time of 57:00, but the Czech Republic’s David Vondracek was just ahead taking silver and Germany’s Hans-Peter Durst won bronze.

Visually Impaired

In the Women’s B Road Race, USA’s Karissa Whitsell (piloted by Lisa Turnbull) won gold. The Netherlands took silver and bronze with Joleen Hakker (piloted by Sigrid Kuizenga) and Kathrin Goeken (piloted by Kim van Dijk) respectively. All medal winners finished a close race in a time of 2:00:31.

France’s Oliver Donval (piloted by John Saccomandi won gold in the Men’s B Road Race. Poland’s Krzystof Kosikowski (piloted by Artur Korc) and Slovakia’s Vladislav Janovjak (piloted by Robert Mitosinka) won silver and bronze respectively. All medal winners finished in a time of 2:27:07.