Key facts

Venue: Brands Hatch
Dates: Wednesday 5 September – Saturday 8 September 2012
Medal events: 32
Athletes: 225 - 155 men, 70 women (across Road and Track)

Paralympic Cycling was originally developed as a sport for blind athletes, who first competed using tandem bicycles. Technological advancements have since opened up the sport to a wider range of athletes; as a result, it is now the third largest sport on the Paralympic programme.

The basics

The 50 medal events that make up the Paralympic Cycling competition feature athletes with a visual impairment, cerebral palsy, amputations or other physical disabilities competing on bicycles, tricycles, tandems and hand cycles.

At London 2012, there will be 32 Paralympic Road Cycling events, with the Road Races and Time Trials supplemented by the Team Relay.

At the Paralympic Games there will be 12 classes in Cycling. Tandem has one class, handcycle has four classes, tricycle has two classes and bicycle has five classes. The lower the athlete’s class number, the greater the impact of their impairment on their ability to cycle.

There are four types of cycles used in Paralympic Cycling:

– A tandem is used by athletes with visual impairment; the athlete sits on the back of the tandem with a sighted pilot at the front.
– A handcycle, as the name suggests, has pedals operated by hand. It has two wheels at the back and one at the front.
– A tricycle is normally used by athletes whose balance would make them unable to race on a two-wheeled bicycle.
– A bicycle is used by all other athletes, often with modifications.

Paralympic Road Cycling, past and present

Road Cycling was introduced as a Paralympic sport in 1984. At London 2012, the Paralympic Road Cycling will be held at Brands Hatch. Athletes will race in a series of events that should draw massive crowds.

See a map of the Paralympic Road Cycling route

Jargon buster

- Road Race: For the Road Races, all riders start together, and the first to cross the finish line wins gold.
- Time Trial: The Road Cycling Time Trials differ from the Road Races in that the riders set off at intervals, and the winner is the rider with the fastest time over the course.

See the London 2012 Paralympic Games competition schedule

Get involved

Cycling is a great way to keep fit, as well as an environmentally friendly means of transport. British Cycling’s club development programme, called Go-Ride, is aimed at encouraging clubs to help young cyclists enjoy cycling in a safe, off-road environment. For more information on cycling, including details of clubs and events of all sorts, see the websites ofBritish Cycling and the International Cycling Union.

See also