Would you dare to ride a bike with your eyes closed? It seems pretty risky, right? There are blind cyclists who participate in the Paralympic Games. To make this sport safer and more accessible, these athletes can count on a pilot who has full sight. I spoke with Guylaine Larouche, who played this role at the Atlanta Games in 1996. She and her partner, Julie Cournoyer, even won three medals!
Is it possible to ride a bike while blind?
Of course! It’s called paracycling, and it’s at every Summer Paralympic Games. The bike used for blind athletes is a tandem, which is a two-seater bike. As Guylaine told me, “a blind person can’t go on the road without a pilot, it would be far too dangerous!” That’s why we use this big bike piloted by someone who has good vision.
Is it difficult to pedal without seeing?
“The blind athlete must trust the pilot in front of him,” explains Guylaine. The paracyclist is totally dependent on his pilot, who is the only person steering the tandem.
Guylaine explains that, “on the bike, the pedals are synchronized, so both cyclists must pedal at the same pace. One teammate cannot take a break while the other pedals.” Moreover, since the pedaling forces are added together, these tandems ride very fast: the average speed can reach around 50 kilometers per hour!
Guylaine continues: “During the race, we communicate information verbally: we go up, we change gear, we overtake, etc. At the Atlanta Games, one of our competitors was deaf, mute and blind. The only way for her to get information was by touch. The driver made signs to her with his hand, by tapping. During the race, this duo is even more handicapped, because they can’t speak!”
What Guylaine remembers from the Games
“What I really appreciated was that in Atlanta, I was the marginal person, different from the others! Paralympic athletes live with one or more disabilities. They often have to ask others for services, depend on someone. The life of these athletes is not easy, but they set goals and do everything to achieve them! In comparison, I have all my limbs, I am lucky!”
In life, you have to give yourself a goal. You may not be as good as others, but you will reach your goal and surpass yourself, just like them! It’s a great learning experience that changed my life!”
By Lysiane Alexandre for The Aces of Info
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