Pinney Picks up First Worlds Medal, Silver to Open Road World Championships
By USOPC Staff
Twelve U.S. Para-cyclists kicked off the first day of road cycling competition as handcycle and tricycle classifications fought for a spot on the podium in the individual time trial events.
After a tumultuous year riddled with injury, Paralympic bronze medalist Ryan Pinney (Phoenix, Arizona) was bursting with joy after winning silver in the men’s H3 time trial grabbing Team USA’s first podium in Dumfries. The medal marks Pinney’s first career world championship medal adding to his Paralympic bronze at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.
“One of the things I’m most excited about this podium finish is being able to give my daughter this mascot,” said Pinney. “I’m really excited to bring this home to her. I don’t know if it’s sunk in yet to be honest. It’s been a hard year coming off of injury and this is just a culmination of what I’ve gone through and everybody that supported me.”
The women of Team USA nailed three top ten performances with 17-time Paralympic medalist Oksana Masters (Louisville, Ky) placing fourth in the women’s H5 and H4 teammates, Alicia Dana (Putney, Vt) and Jenna Rollman (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif) finishing fourth and ninth respectively.
For Masters, a flat tire rounding out the 5-kilometer mark caused a delay taking her out of podium contention while Dana, enduring a recent stomach bug affected her overall performance.
“I’m not completely satisfied with my result,” said Dana. “There are a few things that I could have done better. For instance, I’m fighting a tummy bug and threw up before my race. I feel good that I could at least do what I did. It’s an impressive field of competitors who are getting faster all the time.”
Hand cyclists Freddie De Los Santos (Hopewell Junction, NY) and Travis Gaertner (Burien, Wash.) both placed seventh in the men’s H5 and H4 races respectively. Following close behind Gaertner was fellow H4 cyclist Zachary Stinson (Chambersburg, Penn.) finishing 13th in his world championship debut.
It was world championship debuts for the other two H3 riders alongside Pinney including a 12th finish from Owen Daniels (Fontana, Calif.) and 23rd ranking for Brandon Lyons (St. Augustine, Fla).
In men’s T2 and H2 cyclists Dennis Connors (Beaverton, Ore.) and Barry Wilcox (West Jordan, Utah) each snagged top five finishes while Cody Wills (Harrisburg, Penn.) placed seventh in the MH2.