Race guide: Great Britain Cycling Team at the UCI Para-cycling Road World Cup, Ostend

Race guide: Great Britain Cycling Team at the UCI Para-cycling Road World Cup, Ostend

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British cyclists will be aiming for top honours as the first round of the 2018 UCI Para-cycling Road World Cup gets takes place in Ostend, Belgium.

Starting on Thursday and running over four days, the event will feature individual time trials, road races and the mixed team relay with a total of 38 nations represented.

Ostend is the first of three rounds this year with further editions in Emmen, Netherlands and Baie-Comeau, Canada, in July and August respectively.

The team

After starring on the track at this year’s UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships, Great Britain Cycling Team’s rainbow jersey holders now switch their attention to the road.

Steve Bate piloted by Adam Duggleby, Lora Fachie piloted by Corinne Hall, Megan Giglia, Crystal Lane-Wright and Louis Rolfe will all be in action in their respective categories over the next four days.

A total of 14 riders from the Great Britain Cycling Team will compete at the 2018 season opener with Craig Collis-McCann hoping to repeat his achievements in the same city last year when he claimed gold.

Craig Collis-McCann in action for Great Britain Cycling Team

Another rider with fond recent memories of competing at World Cup level is Simon Price who won road race gold at the final round of the 2017 season in Emmen last July, while Will Bjergfelt also picked up bronze in Belgium last summer and races again this week.

Mel Nicholls comes into the event in personal best form following her wheelchair race in the London Marathon last month, while 2017 world time trial silver medallist Ben Watson, Liz Saul and David Smith complete the line up for the Great Britain Cycling Team.

Meanwhile Katie Toft, a newly crowned world champion at March’s UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships, and 2016 Paralympian Hannah Dines are also among British riders competing independently in Belgium.

Great Britain Cycling Team for the UCI Para-cycling Road World Cup

Steve Bate piloted by Adam Duggleby (MB)
Will Bjergfelt (MC5)
Craig Collis-McCann (MT2)
Lora Fachie piloted by Corrine Hall (WB)
Megan Giglia (WC3)
Crystal Lane-Wright (WC5)
Mel Nicholls (WH4)
Simon Price (MC2)
Louis Rolfe (MC2)
Liz Saul (WC4)
David Smith (MC2)
Ben Watson (MC3)

The venue

Ostend is a Belgian coastal city and area located in the province of West Flanders in the north west of the country.

The city itself is the largest to be found on the Belgian coast with over five and half miles of sandy beaches and a population of more than 71,000. Just last year it was the 2017 European City of Sport.

The courses

Nicknamed the City by the Sea, the time trials will aptly take place along the coastal front in Zeedijk over a 9.0km course to the west of central Ostend near to the airport.

The road races take place in Mariakerke, a seaside resort to the west of the Ostend over an 8km circuit with riders facing different distances, subject to classification. Likewise, the team relay will be contested over the streets of Mariakerke over a 3km course.

The schedule (UK times)

Thursday 3 May

12:30-14:00 Men’s T1, T2 time trials, women’s T2, H1, H2 time trials

14:45-18:00 Men’s H1, H2, H3, H4, H5 time trials, women’s H3, H4, H5 time trials

Friday 4 May

08:30-10:45 Women’s C1, C2, C3, C4, C5 time trials, men’s C1, C2 time trials

13:00-16:30 Men’s C3, C4, C5 time trials, women’s and men’s B time trials

Saturday 5 May

08:00-09:25 Men’s T1-2 road race

08:00-09:35 Women’s T1-2 road race

10:30-12:25 Men’s H3 road race

10:32-12:15 Women’s H3-5 road race

10:32-11:55 Women’s H1-2 road race

13:30-15:25 Men’s H5 road race

13:32-15:35 Men’s H1-2 road race

15:45-17:30 Men’s H4 road race

Sunday 6 May

08:00-10:05 Men’s C4-5 road race

08:00-09:50 Men’s C1-3 road race

11:15-12:55 Women’s C4-5 road race

11:17-12:55 Women’s C1-3 road race

14:00-16:30 Men’s B road race

14:02-16:15 Women’s B road race

17:00-17:45-Men’s/women’s H1-5 team relay

How to follow

  • Full report, images and reaction will appear on the British Cycling website
  • Follow @BritishCycling on Twitter for race updates