‘Like Mario Kart’: Australia’s first handcycling team can’t wait for Worlds

When Australian handcyclists Lauren Parker, Grant Allen and Alex Welsh line up together in Belgium next week, it won’t just be any old race − they’ll be making history.

For the first time ever, the ARA Australian Cycling Team will contest the mixed H team relay at a UCI Para-cycling Road World Championships.

But after working hard to earn their selection, their goal isn’t just to make it to the start line. They’ll be there to win. And based on past results, they are a threat to clinch the world title. 

First win on home turf

Parker, Welsh and Allen first raced together in Adelaide at the 2024 Para-cycling World Cup, where they showed they were the real deal, storming to victory ahead of the then-Paralympic champions Italy and the USA.

“We always knew that we had it, but that was our way of letting the world know – and the team know – we weren’t a joke, and we were to be taken serious(ly), that’s for sure,” Allen said.

Grant Allen celebrates the world cup team relay victory in Adelaide in 2024.

So determined was he to be part of the team that incredibly, Allen rode with a broken leg and two broken ribs after crashing on his mountain bike. Racing with his teammates on home soil was a special moment that Allen wasn’t going to let slip by easily.

“When we won in Adelaide, it was the sort of thing we had asked (for) and wanted to race the relay for so long and not had the opportunity afforded to us,” Allen said.

"We knew that we had the chance, and there was a really big field there, and all of us wanted to make sure we had (an) impact on that race. I knew I was hurt, but not wanting to let everyone down and having a race in your own hometown, it’s pretty special.”

What is the mixed H team relay?

“It is literally like Mario Kart,” is how Allen describes the relay event.

“The circuit is always around tight city streets, bends you have to hit fast, off-on accelerations,” he said. “Also, (there’s) the added bonus of the ‘Mario Kart’ factor: you are constantly passing people because we are one of the better teams. We constantly catch traffic.”

Alex Welsh is the first rider to start for the Australian team relay.

Teams are made up of three handcyclists who can be categorised from H1−H5, where H1 refers to the highest level of impairment. 

Each rider completes one lap at a time, with each lap being about two kilometres long. Once the lead rider finishes one lap, the second rider will start their lap, and so on.

Each rider needs to complete three laps in total, meaning there are eight changeovers throughout the race. At the upcoming World Championships in Ronse, the race will run for a total of 18.9km.

“It’s exciting because the lead chops and changes,” Allen said. “You can have someone who is a high-level impaired quadriplegic racing in a H1 category coming into a corner, trying to fight for position up against a fast H4 like me.”

“Alex starts it strong, then Lauren helps to bolster our position, and fingers crossed I bring it home for us.” 

The intensity of the race means the team’s support staff are crucial in helping them go as fast as possible.

 “Our mechanics and coaches all get around it,” Welsh said. “That might be to catch us at the end of our lap, for the turnaround, to get us back into position, or to get us on the rollers in the pits while we wait for our next lap.”

“We couldn’t do it without them, so shout out to them”

It's all hands on deck for the team relay.

The race for rainbows 

The Aussie trio will face strong competition in Sunday’s race. The big favourites will be the Paralympic gold medallists France, to whom Australia also finished second at the World Cup in Belgium this year. 

“The French will be the team to beat with whatever combination they field. They have a strong depth of competitors for their team,” Allen said. 

The Aussie team finished second to France at the world cup in Belgium earlier this year.

Australia is also one of the few nations that will field a mixed-gendered team, as opposed to many of their rivals, whose teams consist only of men. That will change next year when new rules will require all teams to have at least one female rider.

Whatever the result, they are relishing the opportunity to wear the green and gold for the first time in this event.

“Both of us (Allen and Welsh) have been doing it over 10 years. It means a lot to be in this team and we hope it inspires others to get into the sport,” Welsh said. 

There’s also a rare chance of helping Parker, who has already been a Paralympic champion and world champion in individual events, to win three rainbow jerseys at a single World Championships.

Lauren Parker will be going for three world titles at the upcoming championships in Ronse.

“I’m so excited to race the team relay with the boys and wear the green and gold which is always a privilege. We have a strong team with Alex, Grant and I and we will be racing for the win. It is really special to be racing at our first world champs for the team relay. It’s been a long time coming and we are here to show everyone what we’re about," Parker said.

"I am also racing two win two other titles in the time trial and road race. I’ve had a decent preparation so hopefully it’s enough to get the world champ rainbow stripes back."

The 2025 Para-cycling Road World Championships kick off in Ronse, Belgium this Thursday.

Feature photo: Grant, Lauren and Alex celebrate their 2024 world cup in Adelaide (Jean-Baptiste Benavent)