PARIS, France — Elouan Gardon was elated when he took bronze for the United States in the men's 4000-meter individual pursuit at the Paris Paralympics. The 18-year-old cyclist rode in the C5 classification for athletes with limited to moderate movement in one arm or leg.
"We believed in our strategy going in," Gardon said. "I was able to pull away and it worked out perfectly."
The thing is, his strategy went much deeper than what happened on race day. It was part of a process that began right after the Paralympic flame was extinguished in Tokyo three years ago.
To gain an edge on the track, countries have been focusing on finding more sophisticated technologies. Ian Lawless, the director of U.S. Paralympics Cycling, has been overseeing a shift in the sport for the American team.
"We first work on trying to establish an even playing field," Lawless said, noting the progress Team USA has made. "But now, the focus is about how we can actually work to gain a competitive advantage."
One of the U.S. team's biggest cycling innovations has been its recent work on aerodynamics. Within its allotted budget, the U.S. has developed more cost-efficient aero designs. The team even had a technology and innovation grant approved by the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee last year.
These developments are possible because of how pro cycling rules are made by the Union Cycliste Internationale. It is a working relationship between the sanctioning body and the teams that allows for further innovation.
"We push the envelope," Lawless said. "And the UCI amends. That's how it works."
The specific amount of breathing room for innovation depends on what type of bike is being run. According to Lawless, Paralympic handcycles have had the least amount of standardization compared to other bikes. This allowed them to perform testing that they believed "no one else was doing."
American multisport star Oksana Masters, who is a double-leg amputee, competes in a handcycling class for the United States. She echoed the uniqueness of her category after claiming her ninth Paralympic gold, this time in the H5 road race.
"We went into the wind tunnel especially for the kneelers because it is such a unique bike," Masters recalled. "Dialing in what we can and finding those tiny areas of gain is everything."
Innovation specific to an athlete becomes the primary focus for more tested and standardized bicycles. Lawless noted that Team USA has worked on helmets, race suits and even the positioning of the athlete on the bike as ways to get an edge on the competition.
Innovation in the off-season is one thing, but it is another to put those innovations into action against the rest of the field such as powerhouse Britain, which has won the most overall cycling medals in each of the past four Paralympics.
"They are the gold standard," said Lawless, adding that the two squads sometimes share notes. "It helps to have an almost unlimited budget."
Britain's support for Paralympic cycling allows them to perform weekly aero testing, design more individualized bikes, pay full-time aerodynamicists and run their entire operation in-house, Lawless noted.
The United States looks for ways to elevate its program with less funding.
"We are still a top five team globally," Lawless said. "U.S. Cycling is typically lean and mean, so we look at how we can approach it that way."
The Americans are already looking forward to the next Paralympics on home soil in Los Angeles. Lawless hopes that the momentum and coverage that France saw this summer with the Games will be replicated in 2028. Another four years of innovation wouldn't hurt, either.
"We have increased media and more awareness," Lawless said. "We are hoping that we can leverage that for more support at home."
Masters agreed.
"The world has got to watch out," she said. "U.S. para cycling has a lot coming."
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Jack Rachinsky is a student in the John Curley Center for Sports Journalism at Penn State.
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AP Paralympics: https://apnews.com/hub/paralympic-games
