Storey set for road return at World Championships
BySportsbeat
Published 11/06/2018 at 17:09 GMT
Fourteen-time Paralympic gold medallist Dame Sarah Storey will make her long-awaited return to the Great Britain squad after earning selection for the UCI Para-cycling Road World Championships.
Eurosport
Image credit: Eurosport
The cyclist was due to compete in Brazil in this year's UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships but withdrew in March due to a yellow fever outbreak in Rio.
From thereon the 40-year-old – who welcomed her second child, Charlie, in October – switched her focus to the road to make herself ready for the world stage in August.
Storey is part of a 20-strong squad to compete in Maniago, with Britain's most successful Paralympian looking to add to the 23 World Championship titles she has already secured.
"After not being able to travel to the track worlds in March I'm excited to get out to Italy for the road worlds," she said.
"The road season has started well and I've already raced internationally in Holland.
"Over the next few weeks I've got the National Women's Road Series races and the National Road Championships as part of my preparations."
The British para-cycling squad are continuing to increase preparations for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, with success already coming their way this year having topped the medal table at the track worlds.
Storey will not be alone in her bid for further silverware with Steve Bate and pilot Adam Duggleby joining fellow Paralympic champions Megan Giglia, Karen Darke and Louis Rolfe on the Italian roads.
There are also places for Lora Fachie, piloted by Corrine Hall, Crystal Lane-Wright and Katie Toft - all of whom won World Cup gold last month.
Will Bjergfelt, Craig Collis McCann, Hannah Dines, Mel Nicholls, Simon Price, Liz Saul, David Smith and Ben Watson will also represent Great Britain in their respective road categories.
While Finlay Graham and George Peasgood – who made his ParalympicsGB debut as a triathlete at Rio 2016 – are set to make their maiden appearances as part of the Great Britain Cycling Team.
"We have selected a strong squad of riders to represent us out in Maniago in August and there's a lot of potential for success," said performance director Stephen Park.
"It's great to see new talent being selected to represent us at this world championships and I'd like to welcome Finlay and George onto the squad. Similarly, I'm pleased to see so many Paralympic champions competing as we build towards Tokyo.
"The qualification period for Tokyo 2020 is well underway for the para-cycling squad and they topped the medal table at the UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships in Rio back in March.
"The first World Cup of the season went well for the team, who won 14 medals in Ostend, and I'll be looking for them to back that up out in Maniago."
Sportsbeat 2018
Scan me
Related Topics
Share this article
Advertisement
Advertisement