Lauren Parker has kicked off her 2025 UCI Para-cycling Road World Championships with an emphatic win in the women's H3 individual time trial, adding another rainbow jersey to her collection.
Parker set a blistering pace across the 11.6-kilometre course storming to victory finishing 23 seconds ahead of the rest of the field on the opening day of the championships in Ronse, Belgium.
“It’s so special to win the rainbow jersey back again and become World Champion with my amazing Australian Cycling Team around me. It feels so good and a big relief," Parker said.
"I wasn’t sure where I was at considering a decent (in some aspects) but also an interrupted prep leading in, but I’m glad that I was able to put it together. I'm proud that I was able to overcome some challenges and still be on the top spot."
The forecast rain held off, but the wind proved challenging on the mostly flat course.
For Parker it was about focussing on gaining time on the technical sections.
"It was windy which was challenging on parts of the course but I love that. It was a great race course, I felt strong and focussed on getting the technical sections of the course right because that’s where you can gain time. I’m so happy to start off the racing with this win."
Parker, who is also a world champion in para-triathlon, won her first para-cycling world title in the same event in Glasgow in 2023 on debut.
She has been formidable in the sport since then, with a standout performance at the Paris Paralympics where she soloed to victory in the H1-4 para-cycling road race claiming the gold medal.
She will now turn her attention to Saturday’s H3 road race, before lining up in the mixed H team relay on Sunday with fellow Australians Grant Allen and Alex Welsh.
On the men's side, Allen finished 7th in his H4 time trial, while Welsh finished just outside the top-10 in the H3 category in 11th.
Grant Allen finished 7th in the H4 category.
The world championships continue on Friday with C1-C5 individual time trials, with eight chances for a medal for the ARA Australian Cycling Team.
Women H3 Individual time trial results
🥇 Lauren Parker 19:25.68
🥈 Anais Vincent +23.75 seconds
🥉 Annika Zeyen-Giles +38.47 seconds
IMAGES: SWpix.com