Disability Worlds Day 8, Road Races

August 27, 2007
France

In searing heat, the British riders at the road races for the World Disability Championships helped to maintain GB’s number 1 position in the table with a Gold and Bronze medal on the final day. The team finished with 13 Gold medals, 1 Silver and Two Bronze medals. David Stone again triumphed in the Trikes whilst Darren Kenny was unable to stop the two Spanish from again escaping his clutches and he had to settle for bronze.

Mens CP2 (Trikes)
Favourite and defending champion, David Stone won his second Gold of the Championships. The race, like last year, exploded off the line and with a tricky right-hand corner after 400 metres, there was a clash of trikes as David’s rivals charged towards him as he raced for the corner first.

Manager Dave Mellor described the scene as a bit like watching a chariot race but David came out of the corner unscathed and after the first lap, David came through the finish with around a 30 second lead on the rest. He continued to press hard on the pedals and at the finish had over a minute and a half over his next rival from Austria.

There was however no wheelies or showmanship as the temperatures in the mid thirties took their toll on the competitors including David. He now heads for Hong Kong for some acclimatisation time in the BPA holding camp in preparation for the Paralympic Games.

1. STONE David GBR 00:38:24
2. WINTERLEITNER Helmut AUT 00:40:18
3. LEFLOHIC Mark AUS 00:42:30

Mens CP3 19.8km
The Spanish showed yet again how strong they are on the road with a tactical plan that had them winning Gold and Silver in this category with Darren Kenny in the bronze medal position. The Brits went into the race with two medal hopes, Darren Kenny and Rik Waddon and it was expected the Spanish would attack and when they did, no-one was able to match it and whilst one of the Spanish, Maurice Eckhard continued to ride away from the bunch, Javier Ochoa waited his moment.

When that moment came, Kenny had a big go at trying to hold him but the former Tour de France stage winner was just too strong and he bridged to his teammate and the two Spaniards rode away from the rest. Kenny meanwhile managed to get clear of the rest and chased the Spanish riders all the way to the line where he clinched the bronze medal. Rik Waddon meanwhile was sitting pretty in the bunch hoping for fourth place but after training for a sprint event on the track, the distance and heat took its toll and he faded away on the final climb.

1. ECKHARD Maurice ESP 01:39:24
2. OCHOA Javier ESP 01:39:24
3. KENNY Darren GBR 01:44:18

8. WADDON Richard GBR 01:48:02

Women B VI (Tandem), 19.8 km
Another fourth for the GB duo of Rebecca Rimmington and Mel Easter in their road race after they played into the hands of the Italians. When they went out to race, it was 36 degrees and virtually straight away, the race was on and it was the tandem from Belorussia who turned on the gas and split the race up. One lap down and a group of six tandems formed at the front including the GB duo.

On the second lap however, the strength of the Belorussians started to tell as they forged ahead on their own leaving the rest to battle for second. With two laps to, the Aussie tandem made their break for freedom and soon got clear of the GB, Chinese  and Italian tandems who were left to fight for the bronze. The GB duo however were not going to give up the Silver that easily and with the Italians happy to sit behind, the Brits piled on the pressure to try and bring the Aussies back.

Although they were able to drop the Chinese, they were unable to achieve the catch on the Aussies and after doing so much of the work to chase the Australians, the Italians were able to roll them on the line for the bronze and it was yet another fourth for the British pair.

1. FIADOTOVA DRAZDOVA BLR 01:47:50
2. HOU GALLAGHER AUS 01:56:00
3. COLUZZI TROLDI ITA 01:56:58
4. EASTER RIMMINGTON GBR 01:56:58

Mens B IV (Tandem)
No medals in this category as the British duo of Dawson and De’ath dropped back in the final third of their race and out of contention after what the manager described as a very lively and attacking race towards the finish.