Already second in Tokyo, Loïc Vergnaud wins a new silver medal in the road cycling time trial

Paralympic vice-champion in the discipline in Tokyo in 2021, Loïc Vergnaud repeated the performance on Wednesday on the roads of Clichy-sous-Bois, to secure a fourth medal at the Games.

Silver definitely suits him so well. After collecting second places at the Tokyo Paralympic Games, Loïc Vergnaud added a new trinket of his favorite metal to his list of achievements on Wednesday, September 4, in the H5 category time trial for handbike. Already a bronze medalist in the same discipline at the last road world championships in Glasgow in 2023, he was only beaten by the big Dutch favorite Mitch Valize, who won with a 2’18”81 lead at the finish.

At 45, Loïc Vergnaud is the most experienced member of the French paracycling team. But before getting on a handbike, he had first chosen football, which he played before losing part of his right leg due to a serious accident at work in 2004. He even took part in the European Cup for amputee football, before switching to cycling in 2010. A gold medallist in the handbike relay at the 2022 World Championships, the Roanne native was not selected to compete in the French relay at these Paralympic Games but will once again line up in the road race on Thursday, where he won bronze at the 2023 World Championships.