Sarah Storey's 18th gold marred by row over length of the course

By Tom Harle in Paris

Dame Sarah Storey’s 18th Paralympic gold was marred by a row over the length of the course.

The 46-year-old triumphed in the time trial over one lap of a 14.1km route that men with the same disability did twice, covering 28.3km.

Britain's greatest Paralympian, a pioneer for gender parity in cycling, poured scorn on the decision with organisers putting it down to a ‘busy schedule’.

“There’s plenty of time in the day for us to do two laps like the men,” said the mum-of-two, who is one of over 1,000 elite athletes on UK Sport’s National Lottery-funded World Class Programme, allowing them to train full time, have access to the world’s best coaches and benefit from pioneering medical support – which has been vital on their pathway to the Paris 2024 Games.

“Having fought so hard for parity in women’s cycling, to not have it in para cycling like we did in Glasgow (World Championships) last year, is a real disappointment.

“I’ve had to put that disappointment aside and concentrate on what I can control, because I couldn't control the race distance, but I really hope they never do this to women again because I think it’s been appalling.”

The race took place in an unremarkable north-eastern suburb of Paris, a short ride from where Kylian Mbappe was born, with Storey besting French rider Heidi Gaugain by 4.69 seconds.

She has now won five Paralympic time trial titles in a row with the first four all contested over distances greater than 22km.

The Manchester rider says she queried powers that be on the length of the women's course before the Games and claims they did not give her a response.

“I think it’s a real shame, because you don’t get to showcase para sport in the way that you want it to,” said Storey. “I think this is the most disappointing (course), in that sense, after what came before it and I hope it’s something that doesn’t happen again.”

This is the first time that Storey has won a Paralympic gold with children Louisa, 11, and Charlie, six, watching on having been given special dispensation to miss the first two days of school.

“I’m utterly delighted,” said Storey. “I just feel so, so proud. You can put all the challenges aside and as athletes we always want to improve things, it’s not that I’m not happy being here.

“You race the course that you get and you prepare for that, and I knew well in advance what it was like. To have friends and family here, to see the flags, to have the cheer off the start ramp, it was just brilliant and I’m so pleased.”

Elsewhere, Manchester's Archie Atkinson returned to action and finished fifth in the C4 time trial.

After crashing with gold in his grasp on the last lap of the 4,000m individual pursuit on the track, Atkinson made a slow start on the flat section.

The 20-year-old, the youngest member of the ParalympicsGB cycling squad, emptied the tank and rallied to cross the line a time of 38:23.52, only 27 seconds short of a podium finish.

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