At a rain-soaked Fuji International Speedway, the 50-year-old rider added women’s C1-3 road race gold to her C1-3 time trial title she won earlier in the Games.

It has been a sensational event for Sugiura, but she admits she cannot be entirely satisfied when COVID-19 cases are continuing to rise in Tokyo.

The Paralympics are being held against the backdrop of the coronavirus pandemic and in the face of public opposition.

"I had mixed feelings," said Sugiura.

"Half the people were cheering me a lot after winning the first gold medal (women’s C1-3 time trial), but also some people were thinking about the coronavirus situation and asking, ‘should we have this race?'

"I couldn’t be completely happy with everything. 

"I had to think about many other things."

Sugiura won the road race title in 1 hour 12min 55sec.

Sweden’s Anna Beck and Australia’s Paige Greco claimed silver and bronze respectively.

"I tried to keep the pace throughout so I could give everything in the final lap," said Sugiura on the race.

"I wanted to have the legs so when we came to the straight I would have enough and could finish faster than the others.”

"I don’t know about my age.

"I’m very young at heart, and that’s very important.

"My skin might be a little bit aged, but in my legs and my heart, I feel so young."

Katie-George Dunlevy and pilot Eve McCrystal of Ireland also did the road race-time trial double in Tokyo.

The Irish pair triumphed in a time of 2:35:53 to take the gold in the women’s B road race.

Britain’s Sophie Unwin and pilot Jenny Holt finished as the runners-up in 2:36:00.

Sweden’s Louise Jannering and pilot Anna Svaerdstroem secured bronze with the same time as Unwin and Holt.

"It’s a bit of shock, bit of relief to finish in one piece," said Dunlevy.

"Eve found it very stressful, it was really tricky out there with the wet and the corners.

"We wanted to stay upright, so it was a relief, but we’re absolutely overjoyed to win.

"Road racing is my favourite and I’ve always wanted to win a road race, so I’m just over the moon."

Vincent ter Schure and pilot Timo Fransen triumphed in the men's B road race as The Netherlands collected a one-two.

Tristan Bangma and pilot Patrick Bos picked up the silver medal but they were 5:48 down on ter Schure and Fransen, who crossed in 2:59:13.

"With two laps to go, I started to think, 'so this is going to work'," Ter Schure said.

"Before that, we kept the focus because it's wet and it's dangerous on the track.

"In the time trial we had a flat tyre and we missed the gold on six seconds so this is a good comeback.

"It's really unbelievable that the gap was so big.

"I didn't expect that so it's also a surprise for us today."

Bangma and Bos came second in 3:05:01 with time trial gold medallists Alexandre Lloveras and Corentin Ermenault of France having to settle for bronze in 3:06:14.

Kevin le Cunff of France won his first Paralympic medal with gold, emerging victorious in the men's C4-5 road race final.

He crossed the line in 2:14:49, 22 seconds in front of silver medallist Ukraine's Yehor Dementyev, who clocked 2:15:11.

Daniel Abraham Gebru of The Netherlands won the bronze in 2:15:20.