ARA Australian Cycling Team to compete at first round of 2025 UCI Para-cycling Road World Cup in Belgium

The ARA Australian Cycling Team is all set to race at the opening round of the 2025 UCI Para-cycling Road World Cup in Ostend and Bruges in Belgium from Thursday through to Sunday.

13 athletes make up the squad in Belgium, which is excitingly a mix of Paralympic medallists, experienced campaigners and ARA Australian Cycling Team newcomers.

Paris Paralympics H1-4 road race gold medallist Lauren Parker returns to ARA Australian Cycling Team colours this week, as does her hand-cyclist teammates Grant Allen and Alex Welsh. All three combined for gold in the H1-5 team relay at last year's opening UCI Para-cycling Road World Cup round in Adelaide.

Alana Forster and Darren Hicks will defend their overall series titles in the women's C5 and men's C2 categories, respectively.

Two first-timers of different kinds will tick off a milestone on Friday. Two-time Paralympian and mixed team sprint bronze medallist Gordon Allan will make his ARA Australian Cycling Team para-cycling road debut in the men's C2 events, while Kyle Willis will race overseas for the first time in the green and gold via the men's C3 category.

Time trials on Thursday and Friday will be raced in Ostend on various laps of the 6.5-kilometre course along the Belgian beachfront.

Action on the weekend moves inland to Bruges for the road races and team relay.

Road races will be raced over various lap counts of a 11.65-kilometre course, while the team relay will be nine laps of a 1.5-kilometre course located on the northern edge of the city.

ARA Australian Cycling Team in Belgium

Para-cycling Men

• Gordon Allan [C2] (Parklife Cycling Club/NSWIS)
• Grant Allen [H4] (Inside Line Inc/SASI)
• Darren Hicks [C2] (Norwood Cycling Club/SASI)
• Stu Jones [T2] (Parramatta Cycling Club/NSWIS)
• Alex Welsh [H3] (Lifecycle Cycling Club/QAS)
• Kyle Willis [C3] (Moreton Bay Cycling Club/QAS)

Para-cycling Women

• Tahlia Clayton-Goodie [C2] (Geelong and Surf Coast Cycling Club/VIS)
• Alana Forster [C5] (Ballarat Sepastopol Cycling Club/VIS)
• Paige Greco [C3] (Lifecycle Cycling Club/QAS)
• Meg Lemon [C4] (Port Adelaide Cycling Club/SASI)
• Emma Mickle [C3] (Southern Masters Cycling Club/VIS)
• Lauren Parker [H3] (Newcastle Hunter Cycling Club/NSWIS)
• Kaitlyn Schurmann [C1] (Port Adelaide Cycling Club/SASI)

Schedule

Thursday, May 1 (Time Trials)

From: 13:00 (GMT+2) / 21:00 (AEST)

• Grant Allen
• Alex Welsh
• Stu Jones
• Lauren Parker

Friday, May 2 (Time Trials)

From: 09:30 (GMT+2) / 17:30 (AEST)

• Alana Forster
• Gordon Allan
• Darren Hicks
• Meg Lemon
• Paige Greco
• Emma Mickle
• Tahlia Clayton-Goodie
• Kaitlyn Schurmann
• Kyle Willis

Saturday, May 3 (Road Races)

From: 09:00 (GMT+2) / 17:00 (AEST)

• Grant Allen
• Alex Welsh
• Stu Jones
• Lauren Parker

Sunday, May 4 (Road Races and Team Relay)

From: 08:45 (GMT+2) / 16:45 (AEST)

• Alana Forster
• Gordon Allan
• Darren Hicks
• Meg Lemon
• Paige Greco
• Emma Mickle
• Tahlia Clayton-Goodie
• Kaitlyn Schurmann
• Kyle Willis
• Grant Allen
• Lauren Parker
• Alex Welsh

Results

Start lists and results can be found here.

Feature picture: Jean-Baptiste Benavent