The Tennessee Paracycling Open held in Oak Ridge this weekend was a three-race event for disabled cyclists. Here are photos by Julio Culiat.
It was Saturday, June 25, and Sunday, June 26, and there was a learn-to-race class on June 24 for new riders.
This year’s registration list included many national champions and U.S. National Team members, who used the event to prepare for the July 2 Rio Paralympic Trials, a press release said.
The athletes, many of whom were disabled veterans, competed in several classes, on handcycles (for those with amputations or paralysis), tandem bicycles (with visually impaired stokers on the back, and sighted pilots on the front, and both powering the bike), and upright bicycles, for those with amputations of one or more limbs, neurological deficits, or other disabilities.
TPO was one of six events in the USA Paralympic Cycling series. It is the final event in the series before the Paralympic Trial selection race in Charlotte on July 2, so it was final preparation for many Rio Paralympics hopefuls.
The events included a 20-kilometer time trial, timed circuit races for all classes, and road races from 20 to 44 miles.
See more photos here.
Copyright 2016 Oak Ridge Today. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Leave a Reply