Britons receives Royal support as hosts dominate Manchester Para-cycling International

Prince Harry offered his support to Britain's Jaco Van Gass, whom he trekked to the North Pole with in 2011 ©British Cycling

Hosts Britain finished top of the Manchester Para-cycling International medal table, earning 12 golds across the three days of racing at the National Cycling Centre to secure vital Rio 2016 Paralympic Games’ qualifying points.

Former serviceman Jaco Van Gass was supported at the National Cycling Centre by Prince Harry, who he had trekked to the North Pole with in 2011, and he responded to the Royal’s encouragement by claiming a dominant victory in the C4 individual pursuit event.

Van Gass produced a high tempo start to the 3,000 metres event to close on and overtake his Japanese rival Ishll Masashi.

“It’s very nice to see Prince Harry, I texted him earlier in the week, mentioned that there was the event this weekend and if he’s in Manchester to come say hello,” Van Gass said.

“It just so happened that he was and he came to say hello and it just shows you what a great lad he is.

“There’s no need for him to come but he took five minutes out of his day to come and say hello, watch a bit of cycling and then shoot off again.”

The C4 cyclist secured his second medal of the weekend, finishing second in the men’s scratch race by taking silver in a British clean sweep, with Jon Gildea earning gold and Jon-Allan Butterworth taking bronze.

World champions Sophie Thornhill and Helen Scott claimed double gold in Manchester ©British Cycling

World champions Sophie Thornhill and her pilot Helen Scott earned double gold after proving unbeatable in the women’s tandem scratch race and kilometre time trial competitions, with their achievement replicated by Neil Fachie and his pilot Pete Mitchell in the men’s events.

Victories in the C5 500m time trial and scratch race events saw Crystal Lane emerge as another British double gold medallist along with her compatriot Kadeena Cox who, fresh from competing in sprint events at the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Athletics World Championships, won mixed team sprint and C1-3 500 metre time-trial gold.

The hosts were denied success in the C4-5 1km time trial as world champion Alfonso Cabello delivered an excellent performance with the Spaniard replacing Butterworth at the top of the standings.

The Netherlands’ Arnoud Nijhuis also proved to be one of the star performers of the weekend as the World Championship silver medallist claimed gold in the men’s C1-3 1,000m time trial and individual events.