Zanardi retains time trial title as Italy dominate in hand cycling at UCI Para-cycling Road World Championships

Alex Zanardi has now retained his time trial and mixed team relay titles in Nottwil ©Getty Images

Alex Zanardi retained his men’s H5 time trial world title for the third consecutive year as Italy enjoyed a superb day at the International Cycling Union (UCI) Para-cycling Road World Championships in Nottwil, Switzerland.

The former formula one driver, who lost both his legs following a CART accident in Lausitzring 14 years ago, was the star attraction as the hand cyclists competed in their time trial races.

The 48-year-old did not disappoint, successfully defending the second of the two titles he earned last year in the United States, having won gold in mixed team relay on Tuesday (July 28).

The five-time world champion completed the 15.5 kilometre course in a time of 28min 29.12sec to seal the gold ahead of America’s Oscar Sanchez, who finished in 29:08.81, while South Africa’s Ernest Van Dyk completed the podium in 29:21.46.

“I had to deliver my best performance ever to win this race, I’m very, very happy,” said Zarnardi.

“In the first climb I found out I was behind and this was not an encouraging start but I just had to race my race and then I caught up in the second, most serious climb.

Zarnardi, a former motor racing driver, will now turn his attentions to improving on his second place finish in the H5 road race in the United States last year and add to Italy’s success at the World Championship, with the country enjoy a further three gold medal winning performances in the hand cycling time trials.

Luca Mazzone enjoyed a battle with America’s William Groulx in the men’s H2 event but eventually finished 22 seconds ahead of his rival to win gold in 27:57.34, while his compatriot Vittorio Podesta claimed the men’s H3 title after crossing the line in 30:15.89 ahead of Swiss duo Heinz Frei and Lukas Weber.

The fourth and final Italian gold of the day was earned by Francesca Pocellato, as she dominated the women’s H3 time trial after completing the 14km course in a time of 27:53.94.

Vittorio Podesta was another Italian to secure success on Swiss roads by winning the men’s H3 event ©Getty Images

Her nearest rival Alicia Dana finished well adrift in 29:11.21, but it proved more than enough for the American to take the silver medal ahead of Poland’s Renata Kaluza, who stopped the clock at 29:57.36.

The only other nation to enjoy multiple gold medals on the third day of the World Championships was South Africa, with Justine Asher and Nicolas Pieter Du Preez earning dominant victories in women’s H2 and men’s H1 events.

Asher finished the women’s H2 event with a stunning winning margin as she completed the course in 37:35.51, with The Netherlands’ Carmen Koedood coming home second in a time of 54:08.16.

While Du Preez’s winning margin was not nearly as impressive he was still able to take the men’s H1 title in style after finishing in a time of 41:59.74, with the podium completed by New Zealand’s Timothy Williams and Switzerland’s Benjamin Frueh after completing the course in 44:35.82 and 44:52.20 respectively.

The final men’s event of the day saw Poland’s Rafal Wilk claim victory in the H4 event ahead of Germany’s Vico Merklein, after recording a winning time of 28:55.15.

Germany would also be forced to settle for silvers in a further two events as Russia’s Svetlana Moshkovich claimed gold in the H4 time trial ahead of Christiane Reppe in a time of 27:46.54, while Dutch H5 racer finished in 24:58.43 to beat Andrea Eskau to the world title by just eight seconds.

Australia’s Emilie Miller was the final gold medallist of the day having clocked a time of 47:33.76 to win the women’s H1 event.