Stuart Tripp and Grant Allen battle to strong finishes in Tokyo Paralympic road races

Stuart Tripp and Grant Allen represented Australia on Day 8 of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.

In foggy conditions, the first road race events began at the Fuji International Speedway with the Men’s H5 and H1-2 road races.

Tripp held his place in the lead bunch until lap three of the Men’s H5 79.2km road race, where he decided to drop the hammer and venture away from the pack solo.

Tripp’s breakaway, although courageous, was a short-lived moment away at the front of the race for the Victorian.

The Alpine Cycling Club para-cyclist was unable to keep in touch with the lead pack as the fourth lap started and would eventually finish a valiant seventh to round out his third Paralympic campaign.

In a race dominated by Dutchman Jetze Plat, Port Adelaide Cycling Club’s Allen was in the mix for a H4 road race medal among a chase group of four hunting down Plat and Austrian Thomas Fruehwirth.

Allen would soon drop off the fast pace set by Plat and the chase group, settling into sixth position.

It was there that the debut Paralympian would stay in a grueling and rain-drenched 79.2km road race.