Multichampions Neil Fachie and Emily Petricola defend and retain the titles of the men’s Tandem time trial and the women’s C4 individual pursuit

On this third day of the Para-Cycling Track World Championships, six categories crowned their champions at the Rio Velodrome, and the British increased their lead over the second-placed team in the medal standings. Great Britain now has 12 (six golds and six silvers) followed by China in second with 7 (five golds, one silver, and one bronze), and France in third with 8 (four golds, three silvers, and one bronze). The International Cycling Union standard considers the number of golds, not the total, to establish the ranking. Brazil ranks ninth with two silvers.

With another British one-two finish, the Tandem time trial podium helps explain this performance. It repeated in the same order for the third consecutive edition, with compatriots Neil Fachie and James Ball respectively winning gold and silver, and German Thomas Ulbricht taking bronze. Fachie won the race gold for the sixth consecutive time, including the Rio World Championship in 2018, and four other occasions. The now ten-time world champion is also the current Paralympic champion and world record holder in the event. Nevertheless, he is not satisfied and admits that he recently gained a new motivation: to inspire his one-year-and-four-month-old son, who accompanies him in Rio.

“This medal means a lot to both of us [him and the pilot, Matthew Rotherham]. We had a very difficult year in which we weren’t at our best for different reasons, and I think we just wanted to come here and show that we are capable. For me personally, what motivated me was knowing that my son is here watching me. He is very young, and my main motivation for cycling since I found out about the pregnancy has been to prove to him that you can achieve whatever you want. But I’m very proud of both of us because this year was very challenging, and getting the win means a lot to us,” he said.

Fachie and Rotherham praised the partnership with James Ball and Steffan Lloyd. In the last six world titles of the duo, Ball and Lloyd took the second highest place on the podium in five. For the champions, living together makes everyone always strive to pedal better and better.

“The rivalry is daily, we train together. It’s good to be on the podium with them, it’s great that we’re doing so well, but we compete against each other every day. It’s almost tiring because if you’re having an easier day, you look at your friend and see him training hard and know that you have to do that too. But it’s good for us to keep pushing each other to do our best, and I don’t think we could do it any other way,” evaluated Fachie. Rotherham echoed his partner:

“We’re very lucky to have the two best teams in the world, that somehow even makes training easier because we have to push each other. I’m excited for what awaits us in the future. I hope we continue training together, maintain this rivalry, and can use it in the coming months for the next competition,” he said.

Another athlete who managed to confirm her favoritism and extend her dynasty was Australian Emily Petricola, five-time consecutive champion of the individual pursuit in Class C4. She is also the current Paralympic champion and world record holder in the discipline. However, all these achievements do not mean that victory was already guaranteed. In fact, due to an accident just over a month ago, Petricola almost missed the Rio World Championship.

“I had an accident in training about five weeks ago where I was hit by a car, ended up with a concussion, and didn’t know if I could come or how I would perform. I feel very grateful to be here and to win a rainbow jersey [shirt given to champions] again. Each of these achievements is a gift, you have to feel very grateful. I’m very happy for my team, for having achieved this for us, they fought hard for me to be here today, and that makes me very proud,” she celebrated.

Petricola has great chances of going to Paris and, once again, reaching one of the main tournaments in the sport defending the individual pursuit title, just as she did – and succeeded – at the Rio World Championship. To deal with favoritism and pressure, she focuses on repaying the efforts of those who support her on and off the track.

“This is interesting because, for some reason, everyone thinks things are easier for me. It’s exactly the same for me as it is for all the other athletes, sometimes even harder because you know everyone is trying to catch up with you. It’s hard to stay on top; actually, it’s easier to get there than to stay there. There’s a lot of pressure, but all I can do is do my best. I have very good people supporting me, and they are all that matters. All I care about is making them proud and giving them the assurance that I am honoring the work they dedicate to me. I hope to continue doing that… my goal is to go to Paris to defend my title, hopefully, I can make it. We’ll see,” she concluded.

The championship continues this Saturday from 9 a.m. with individual pursuit, time trial, and scratch races. Complete results and more information are available on the official website: www.2024uciPara-Cycling.com

Check out the medalists and the medal standings at the end of the third day:

Day 3 contests (03/22):

Class C5 Men – 200m Flying Start (Omnium)

Top 3: Jaturong Niwanti (THA), Blaine Hunt (GBR), and Niels Verschaeren (BEL)

Brazilians: Lauro Chaman (7th) and Pablo Henrick Voigt Santos (16th)

Class C1 Women – 200m Flying Start (Omnium)

Result: Wangwei Qian (CHN) and Katie Toft (GBR)

Class C2 Women – 200m Flying Start (Omnium)

Top 3: Flurina Rigling (SUI), Daphne Schraeger (GBR), and Sabrina Custódio da Silva (BRA)

Brazilians: Victoria Maria de Camargo e Barbosa (7th)

Men’s Tandem – Time Trial (1 km)

Medalists: Great Britain (Neil Fachie/Matthew Rotherham), Great Britain (James Ball/Steffan Lloyd), and Germany (Thomas Ulbricht/Robert Föstermann)

Brazilians: Luciano da Rosa/Daniel Henrique Gruer de Brito (17th) and Bruno Bonfim dos Anjos/José Eriberto Medeiros Rodrigues Filho (21st)

Class C4 Men – Scratch (15 km)

Medalists: Kevin Le Cunff (FRA), Gatien Le Rousseau (FRA), and Bryan Larsen (USA)

Brazilians: André Luiz Grizante (8th)

Class C3 Men – Individual Pursuit (4 km)

Medalhistas: Jaco Van Gass (GBR), Finlay Graham (GBR) e Devon Briggs (NZL)

Brazilian: Eduardo Carvalho Hipólito de Araújo (14th)

Class C5 Women – Individual Pursuit (4 km)

Medalists: Heidi Gaugain (FRA), Nicole Murray (NZL), and Claudia Cretti (ITA)

Brazilians: Fabiana Ventura de Assis (11th) and Telma Aparecida Alves Bueno (12th)

Class C4 Women – Individual Pursuit (4 km)

Medalists: Emily Petricola (AUS), Samantha Bosco (USA), and Keely Shaw (CAN)

Class C3 Women – Individual Pursuit (4 km)

Medalists: Xiaomei Wang (CHN), Keiko Sugiura (JPN), and Aniek Van Der Aarssen (NED)

Brazilian: Amanda Antunes de Paiva (8th)