Today’s closing ceremonies marked the conclusion of competition at the 2006 IPC Cycling World Championships in Aigle, Switzerland. There were numerous medals for the U.S. Paralympic Cycling Team, including one handcycling medal: Alejandro Albor’s impressive victory in the road race following a DNS in the TT (more…).
Matt Updike and Greg Hockensmith represented the U.S. competently, finishing dead-center of the pack in both the tt and road race. Former World Champ, Monica Bascio fared the same in the tt, finishing 5th, and had a rare bad day in the road race, finishing 7th. Oscar Sanchez impressed all with his 7th place TT finish, yet did not finish the road race (details on the way!)….but a nice effort from the rookie at his first-ever international competition.
Although there is much to celebrate with Albor’s victory this year, the lone medal haul from our handcyclists leaves some unanswered questions. The 2002 championships in Altenstadt, Germany saw the U.S. bring home no-less than 10 handcycling medals, including three world titles. So why only one this time? Without question, this topic sparks great debate, but here are some compelling thoughts:
- Culturally, bike racing is more accepted in Europe. Now that they’ve caught-up with the technology, they are like “ducks to water” and it’s no surprise that the racing scene is now “owned” by the Euros.
- New Blood. We need it! Hockensmith, Bascio, Updike, Albor are all in their 30s and 40s and have been racing since the infancy of handcycle racing. While they’ve all had great success and train very hard, it’s a big burden to carry: supporting the hopes of a nation for eight years running. So….for those of you handcyclists out there who have the itch to race: LET US KNOW! Beijing is right around the corner!
- Changes in classification and technology. The IPC has a lot of work to do to level the playing field in handcycling, and decisions they’ve made affect the results. The sport definitely favors some disability groups over others, which encourages some to seek competition in other fields. Carlos Moleda for example, has stopped racing because of the classification rules, and Monica Bascio is concentrating more on cross-country skiing where she “has a better shot at the podium.” Other former handcyclists are also gravitating towards the snow. Seth Arseneau even declined a spot on the world’s team this season, yet became the first-ever “Off-road World Champion.” (more on offroad...)
- Preparedness. In order to do well in a big race, you have to have experience in big races! While there are plenty of events in the U.S…..they don’t often attract the numbers of elite athletes that races in Europe do. We hope this changes in the coming years as bigger and better events take shape in the U.S.
- Coaching. The Europeans have very developed programs that offer great coaching. While CTS coaches the elite Paralympic athletes in America, they work with an average of five handcyclists per year. Expect to see some better coaching and training resources from the USHF in the coming seasons.
- Support. We need support for our developing athletes. This means sponsors, training camps, coaching, and better races with bigger fields. Not to mention moral support from their peers and fans.
In light of all of the above, it points out the incredible accomplishments of all of our elite athletes, including Albor’s achievement on Sunday. But finding an athlete with the potential to be a World Champion doesn’t happen everyday. We are lucky to have 5 of them burned in to our history books forever….not to mention a Paralympic medal from Albor as well. But it does begs the question:
Where is the next champion hiding ?
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