Slovakian Para-cyclist Jozef Metelka has announced his intention to compete at the able-bodied World Championships next year ©Getty Images

Slovakian Para-cyclist Jozef Metelka has set his sights on the able-bodied World Championships next year.

Metelka, who had his left leg amputated after a motorbike accident in 2009, is already a double Paralympic champion, an International Cycling Union (UCI) Para-world champion and a UCI World Cup winner.

He qualified for the four kilometre individual pursuit final at the 2016 UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships in Montichiari in Italy in a time of 4min 26.924sec.

That was not only a Para-cycling world record in the C4 class, it was also a time that would hold its own in any able bodied international competition.

He wants to bring that form to the 2017 UCI Track Cycling World Championships in Hong Kong in April.

"Montichiari would have to be the highlight of my season," said the Slovakian.

"I proved I’m worthy of elite competition, not only with other Para-cyclists but with everyone.

"I produced a really good time."

Metelka capped off a sublime year by dominating the UCI Para-Cycling Road World Cup with five victories in six races, as well as becoming Paralympic champion at Rio 2016 in both the 4km individual pursuit and the road time trial events.

He was forced to settle for silver at both the World Championships and the Paralympics in the 1km time trial on the track, where he finished second to Great Britain’s Jody Cundy.

Jozef Metelka won two gold medals at this summer's Rio 2016 Paralympic Games ©Getty Images
Jozef Metelka won two gold medals at this summer's Rio 2016 Paralympic Games ©Getty Images

"My big dream is to bring cycling and Para-cycling closer together, and to change people’s perception because we are also elite athletes," he said.

Metelka recognises that the 2017 World Championships are a long shot as, after focusing on his Paralympic campaign this year, he was not concentrating on earning qualification points for the event in Hong Kong.

However, Metelka jumped at the chance when he was offered a place at the opening round of the UCI Track Cycling World Cup in Glasgow in Scotland at the beginning of November, where he mixed it with able-bodied rivals.

"I had been on holiday since Rio because I really needed a break," said Metelka.

"Then my coach rang me while I was in Spain and told me to get back on my bike because I could compete in Glasgow.

"So basically I turned up there with just one week of training.

"I came 14th but I think if I had had two weeks’ training, I would have gone under 4:30 and made the top ten."