Paralympics – Handbike: Crowd (H1) 6th in a road race dominated by H2 athletes, Van de Steen 4th in H4

Drivers by hand Maxim Hordes (H1) finished sixth in the road bike race at the Paralympic Games on Wednesday at the Fuji International Speedway. Compete in the event with the riders in the H2 class. Furthermore, it was the riders in this category who took the top five. French Johnny Florian He won at the end of 52.8 km in 1:49:36, ahead of the Italian Luca Matzon, the second at 4:07 (1h53:43) and the Spanish Sergio Garrot Munoz, the third at 5:00 (1h54:36). Swiss Tobias Fankhauser finished fourth with a time of 33:32 ahead of New Zealander Rory Mead at the same time.

The organization did not allow crowds And the other H1 riders to finish the race because they were too far behind. crowds He took first place in his ranking, but did not give him a medal. H1 athletes suffer more damage to the upper extremities than H2 athletes.

mardi, Maxim Hordes He won the bronze medal in the time allotted to the H1 trial only. “The fact that we had to ride with H2 riders here today, while yesterday there was a separate time trial for H1 riders, is amazing.‘, he did not say.

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“The organization did not let us finish‘, announced crowds He shrugs his shoulders after reaching. “It’s incredible. There is not much we can do at the moment. But I hope that will change for the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. In normal competition there is a separate podium for H1s. Why isn’t it here? The organization does not want to distribute a lot of medals on the road, but it does want some medals on the right track.“

“We toured with H1 riders, then practiced a bit, and rode for fun‘, explained crowds. “It was not a race. On the last climb, I paid to be the first. It’s a beautiful symbol. I don’t get a medal for that. I think it shows a little disrespect. Yesterday there was a separate podium in the time trial, today there is no podium. It’s weird. I know that Team Belgium will do everything they can to change this before the Paris Games in three years.“

crowds He returned to his bronze medal removed the day before. “Yesterday was a better day, today I have a chocolate medallion. It was a good performance yesterday, but my rivals were also strong. I got bronze with my abilities. I am happy with this result in my first Paralympic Games“.

Still in a handbike but in the H4 class this time the Belgian Jonas van de Sten 4th place in road cycling.

Van de Sten, 34, was beaten at the end of a 79.2 km race at the Fuji International Motorcycle Circuit by the Dutchman Getzy Plate, gold medal at 2:15:13. Austrian Thomas Frohworth He got silver at 5:43 am. Bronze went to another Austrian Alexander Gretsch It’s 7:25. Van de Sten It ended at 8:41 am.

Van de Sten He placed ninth in the time trial on Tuesday.