Australia wins four medals on Day 2 of Para-cycling Road Worlds

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Australia has won four medals on Day 2 of the 2022 UCI Para-cycling Road World Championships in Baie-Comeau, Canada, adding two silvers and two bronzes to the tally.

Australian Cycling Team’s two silver medals came courtesy of Emily Petricola in the women’s C4 time trial and Kaitlyn Schurmann in the women’s C1 time trial.

Darren Hicks won a nail-biting bronze medal in the men’s C2 time trial and Paige Greco found herself in the bronze medal position at the end of the women’s C3 time trial.

2022 has been a season of adversity for 42-year-old Petricola, with the Paralympic gold medallist forced into a stunted preparation for Baie-Comeau.

Petricola finished her 18.9-kilometre time trial in 29 minutes and 44.23 seconds, one minute and 15 seconds behind USA’s Samantha Bosco.

“I had very little expectation in terms of a result after a challenging preparation with a bad COVID infection and back injury, so was genuinely so happy to be back on the podium let alone wearing a silver medal,” Petricola said.

“I had some issues early in the race with my helmet which cost me a chunk of time, but totally my own fault and a good lesson to learn at the beginning of the cycle.

“Once I got that under control, I was pretty happy with how I worked my way into it and worked to the pacing strategy.

Petricola
Emily Petricola finished with a silver medal in the women's C4 time trial. Picture: Casey Gibson

“I don't think the early issues would've changed the result. TTs are all about good decision making and executing with the least number of errors and today Sam (Bosco) was better than me at this.”

Australia’s final medal of Day 2 in Canada was won by Schurmann, continuing her podium streak in the women’s C1 category from where she last left off from in 2019.

“It was so good to be back racing again after a long couple of years and it was also nice to be able to show off the training and work I’ve put in,” Schurmann said.

“A podium is always a great feeling - although I’m pretty tired after the race.

“I was very happy with how I was able to pace my time trial.

“There was a tough climb for me each lap which was really important to pace correctly, to get up it in ok condition both times.

“I was happy with how controlled I was able to race today.”

The men’s C2 category is fast becoming the most enthralling classification in para-cycling and Adelaide’s Hicks is right in the thick of it.

Less than 15 seconds separated the 37-year-old and his two closest rivals in Belgian Ewoud Vromant and Frenchman Alexandre Leaute at the intermediate time check, however, Hicks would eventually finish the 18.9km course 26.91 seconds off gold in a time of 27 minutes and 4.88 seconds.

“I honestly feel like I won bronze today, I couldn't have given much more out there,” Hicks said.

“I rode solid, executed the race plan well and averaged higher power than planned, and negative split my second lap.

“At the end of the day, the other boys were just stronger.

“From when I started in 2017 to now, it's (C2) very different.

“There are good riders who have been at two or three road worlds now and ridden great races and still can't break into the top five.

“That's what I love about our sport, you must continuously be improving – you can never sit on your laurels and just expect to stay the best.”

Greco was also privy to the bronze medal party in Baie-Comeau on Day 2, picking up the second UCI Para-cycling Road World Championships medal of her young career in the women’s C3 category.

The 25-year-old stopped the clock at 30 minutes and 42.81 seconds to finish just over a minute behind USA’s Clara Brown in first.

Amanda Reid and Meg Lemon narrowly missed out on medals during their respective women’s C2 and C4 time trials, both finishing in fourth place.

32-year-old Lemon was the closest of the two, only knocked off the podium by 1.34 seconds.

Alistair Donohoe finished sixth in a closely fought men’s C5 time trial battle, while youngest squad member Candice Kennedy and pilot Kelly Fettes finished fifth in the women’s B time trial.


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Feature picture: UCI
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