PARA | Dual silver for trio of Victorians

The Australian Cycling Team collected twelve medals, including three rainbow jerseys, at the 2018 UCI Para-cycling Road World Championships in Maniago, Italy.

​Bathurst’s Emilie Miller (H1 Handcycle) won time trial and road race gold, while Melbourne’s Alistair Donohoe (C5) claimed his third career road world title.

The Victorian trio of Carol Cooke (T2 - Tricycle) and Hannah Macdougall (C4) won dual silver in the road race and time trial, as did debutant Kaitlyn Schurmann (C1).

​Kyle Bridgwood and Meg Lemon won bronze in the C4 time trial finals, with Darren Hicks claiming bronze in the C2 road race.

Seven-time world champion Cooke was content with her dual silver medal-winning performance.

“I came into these World Championships hoping to bring home the world champion stripes, and I was in the best shape of my life,” said Cooke, who finished behind the USA’s Jill Walsh in both races.  “I had my race plans in place and rode them perfectly, gave everything that I had. Unfortunately for me someone else, Jill was faster on both days.

“But I am very proud to have done my best, and for me that is the success, doing my best in any race.  Two silver medals aren't too shabby! I am very happy to have been on the podium.”

A leader on and off the bike, Cooke, 56, recognised the growth and improving quality Tricycle racing, while also revealing the results of her teammates inspire her.

“The Trike class is growing and becoming stronger, and I am happy to be part of that growth.  

“It has just made me hungrier for the next racing against Jill which will happen in a couple of weeks away in Canada at the last World Cup.

“It was also great to see my teammates do so well, Kaitlyn Schurmann in her first ever World Championship taking two silver and Emilie Miller winning two gold!  Watching them ride is so inspiring.”

Cooke also paid tribute to retiring Cycling Australia’s Technical Director of Para-cycling Peter Day.  

“We have an amazing team which has been put together by Peter over the last ten years, and it is with a heavy heart that we will be saying goodbye to his leadership in September.  

However, we all wish him the best in his retirement, and I am sure that his wife Cheryl will be more than happy to have him at home!”

Like Cooke, Macdougall was ecstatic with her dual podium appearance in the road race and time trial. 

"I am feeling absolutely awesome, am super stoked to pick up two silvers, and it was even more special to share the time trial podium with my Aussie teammate Meg," said Macdougall.

"The time trial was one of the most interesting and scenic courses we have had - not that I got to take a lot of it in - I raced and paced it well, crossing the line knowing I had given it everything I had.

"I am super proud of the race and of my performance, 200% improvement on my total career medals.

"But results like that aren’t an individual effort and I am so grateful to our support team."

I honestly am not quite sure what to write. It has been a massive day, and massive campaign. It is currently still an effort to simply breathe. We had the @UCI_cycling Para World Championships Road Race today. Some statistics: □in Women's C4. 68km over 5 laps. 1hr, 55minutes and 27 seconds of racing. 4 dates, 3 containers of honey, 5 biddons. 47.8km in a break with @samorelli76. 3 balls-out sprints in last 1km. 200% improvement rate on total medals at a world champs. I am super proud of the road race today, and super proud of this world championships. Congrats to all who raced, and the entire @AustralianCyclingTeam - it is bloody special to be a part of this family. Thank you to my village. Grazi Mille. Danke. Merci. Legs Up. (And Legs off. They are smushed). @vicinstsport @cyclingaustralia @ausparalympics @australiancyclingteam @thePiratessc @TheHurtBox @StarAmpGlobal @ProMotion_Prosthetics @Schwalbeaus @la_ridley @onemistyguy @green_onions_organic @nickowen5 @thehurtbox_steggles @ben.willey1 @vis_nutrition @fesports @arnauddomange #sakuraTCM #IOS @vicsesnews @cameron_jennings @themindroom #worldchampionships #italy #para #amputee #racing #roadrace #ridley #fromwhereiride #outsideisfree #bicycle #girlsonbikes #womenscycling #betough #bikes #ridelikeagirl #rideyourbike #silver #australia #legsup #thankyou

A post shared by Hannah Macdougall (@hanmacdougall06) on Aug 5, 2018 at 10:09am PDT

 
​Official results: visit the UCI website.

2018 Australian Cycling Team - UCI Para Road World Championships Summary

• Kyle Bridgwood (QLD) C4 - Bronze time trial, 12th road race
• Meg Lemon (SA) C4 - Bronze time trial; 4th road race  
• Hannah Macdougall (VIC) C4  - Silver road race & time trial
• David Nicholas (QLD) C3 - 5th road race; 6th time trial
• Darren Hicks (SA) C2 - Bronze road race; 4th time trial
• Kaitlyn Schurmann (VIC) C1 - Silver road race & time trial
• Stuart Jones (NSW) T2 - 9th time trial
• Carol Cooke (VIC) T2 - Silver road race & time trial
• Grant Allan (SA) H4 8th road race, 18th time trial
• Alistair Donohoe (VIC) C5 - Gold road race; 4th time trial
• Kieran Murphy & Lachlan Glasspool (SA) Tandem
• Grant Nickel (NSW) H1 10th road race & 10th time trial
• Emilie Miller (NSW) H1 Gold road race & time trial
• Stuart Tripp (VIC) H5 - 5th road race, 5th time trial