Four Special Olympics Great Britain athletes are once again being given the opportunity to represent their nation by participating in the 2024 UEC European Road Cycling Championships in Belgium.
Support the team’s fundraising
The four cyclists will travel to the province of Limburg, in Belgium, for the event, which brings together some of the leading cyclist from across Europe. Within this, around 50 Special Olympics athletes from 12 European national programmes will compete on Sunday 15 September.
Team Special Olympics Great Britain
|
Name |
Club |
Race |
|
Sophie Bonner |
Special Olympics Surrey |
10K Road Race (women's) |
|
Ella Curtis |
Summat Creative |
5K Road Race (women's) |
|
Ben Fai Lankshear |
Special Olympics Surrey |
5K Road Race (men's) |
|
James Huntington |
Special Olympics Greater Manchester |
15K Road Race (men's) |
The athletes, who all participated last year at the Special Olympics World Summer Games in Berlin, are again joined in Belgium by their three volunteer coaches, in Tim Curtis of Summat Creative, Michelle Guite of Special Olympics Sheffield and Andy Samanjoul of Special Olympics Yorkshire & Humberside region.
To participate in the same competition, and on the same course, as many of the world’s top cyclists is a fantastic opportunity for our athletes. It’s a further demonstration of how inclusive cycling is as a sport and we’re very grateful to our European Governing body, in the UEC, for the invitation to compete.
“Each athlete achieved a personal best in their races at the Special Olympics World Games in Berlin last year. Competing at another international competition, just a year later will be a great indication of their progress and we’re very excited for all four of them.”
Competing at the UEC European Road Cycling Championships follows a Memorandum of Understanding signed by Special Olympics International and global cycling governing body UCI at Brandenburg Gate at the Special Olympics World Games last summer. Additionally, athletes have competed in the last two UCI Masters Cyclo-Cross World Championships and in an exhibition race at the first ever UCI Cycling World Championships in Glasgow last year.
Soon after the athletes return from Belgium, they will reunite alongside more than 50 other cyclists from across England, Scotland and Wales to compete in the Special Olympics National Cycling Competition at Wyke Sports Village, near to Bradford, Yorkshire.
Here a programme of 21 races will be spread across two days for the biggest cycling event in the Special Olympics GB calendar.