Worlds: Lauren Parker wins dream para-cycling world title on debut

One world championship race. One world championship. That’s the score for Lauren Parker.

The 34-year-old has medalled at the Paralympics and won three paratriathlon world championships. But even with all that experience and winning aptitude, the nervousness of a para-cycling world championships debut was evident on the start line in Dumfries, Scotland.

Parker’s nervousness was normal. Blowing the Women H3 Individual Time Trial field away by more than a minute – well, that's a little less so. Especially for someone racing at only their second international para-cycling event.

But that’s Lauren Parker – she's a through and through winner, and she showed that in bucketloads on the first day of para-cycling road action at the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships.

“It’s so good. I’m just happy I was able to get out there and produce the race I was hoping to produce,” Parker said.

“I had a great result and I’m just really happy to finally become a para-cycling world champion.

“I was nervous because it’s only my second major para-cycling event. My first one was in Belgium a few months ago, so I didn’t really know where I was at against the other girls because I’d only raced them once.

Lauren Parker celebrates with ARA Australian Cycling Team coach David Betts in Dumfries. Picture: Ed Sykes/SWpix.com

“But I believed in myself. I’ve had a good preparation leading into worlds and I just really believed that I could produce what I did today.”

When Parker left the start hut as the third last H3 woman down the ramp she wasted no time setting the new standard.

At the first intermediate time check, the Novocastrian had already put 20 seconds into her nearest rival. By the second intermediate check, following the one climb on the course, that gap was 58 seconds.

The world championship was virtually confirmed when Parker crossed the finish line, all that was needed to lock in Parker’s first rainbow jersey was the time of the former world champion Annika Zeyen to tick over 29:54.44.

Lauren Parker on top of the Women H3 Individual Time Trial podium at the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships. Picture: Richard Blaxall/SWpix.com

“I was just waiting for the other girls to cross the line to see what times they were doing and when I found out that I’d finally done it I was quite emotional,” Parker said.

“It’s been my goal and I’ve had that vision for a while now, so to finally get it done makes me so proud and happy.

“It’s pretty special to now be a world champion in two sports – paratriathlon and para-cycling.”

For more coverage of the ARA Australian Cycling Team at the UCI Cycling World Championships, visit our Glasgow 2023 Hub.

Feature photo: Richard Blaxall/SWpix.com