U.S. Paralympics Cycling partners with Texas A&M University to host Road Cycling Open in Bryan, Texas

BRYAN, TEXAS – U.S. Paralympics Cycling today announced the U.S. Paralympics Cycling Road Open, hosted by Texas A&M University and the City of Bryan, Texas. The two-day competition, running April 6-7, 2024, at Texas A&M-RELLIS will serve as the selection event for the nation’s top Para-cyclists to qualify for the European leg of the 2024 UCI Para-Cycling World Cup season, which is one of the most important factors for qualification for the Paralympic Games Paris 2024 this summer.  

The annual U.S. Para-cycling road open, which takes place in various locations around the country, will come to Bryan for its fifth edition. The competition remains the most prestigious domestic event for the top U.S. Para-cyclists to showcase their talents. 

“The City of Bryan is proud to partner with Texas A&M to bring the U.S. Paralympics Cycling Road Open to our community,” said Mayor Bobby Gutierrez. “We’re ready to cheer on the athletes and honored to be a part of their Paralympic journey.”

The 2024 event is especially prominent because it falls in a Paralympic year, as the nation’s top athletes prepare to go toe-to-toe with the world’s best on the biggest international stage the sport has to offer.  

“This is the most important domestic event we will have for road cycling leading into the Paris Paralympics,” Ian Lawless, Director, U.S. Paralympics Cycling, said. “Partnering with both the university and the city of Bryan has been so crucial for us as we build toward the 2024 Games, and we are so excited to have this serve as a key stop in our road to Paris.” 

Racing, which will feature time trial and road race formats, will take place across the Texas A&M–RELLIS campus. 

“Texas A&M has hosted some incredible events over the years, and now we’re proud to add the U.S. Para-Cycling Open to the list,” said General (Ret.) Mark A. Welsh III, president of Texas A&M University. “As one of the final stops on the road to Paris, we in Aggieland can’t wait to extend a warm ‘Howdy!’ to these athletes, their families and friends, and the many cycling and para-cycling enthusiasts who will come to cheer them on.”

Dr. Lisa Colvin, Clinical Associate Professor in Kinesiology and Sport Management at Texas A&M, played a significant role in connecting the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) and Texas A&M University. As the USOPC searched for education partners to host paralympic events, she and her team highlighted the outstanding facilities available and how the educational and research mission of the university and history of strong veteran support aligned with the missions of the USOPC. Texas A&M’s Department of Kinesiology and Sport Management is home to a top-ranked Doctoral Program in Kinesiology, according to the National Academy of Kinesiology

Following competition, U.S. Paralympics Cycling will announce the athletes selected to its road world cups in Ostend, Belgium, and Maniago, Italy, this May.  

The event is free, family friendly, and open to the public. Spectators are encouraged to line the race course and cheer for the nation’s premier Para-cyclists. Learn more about the event at paracycling.bryantx.gov.

Athlete registration can be found here.

About U.S. Paralympics Cycling
U.S. Paralympics Cycling serves as the national governing body for Para-cycling in the United States. Headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado, U.S. Paralympics Cycling is a division of the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee. U.S. Paralympics Cycling is committed to promoting and growing the sport in the United States by enabling athletes and coaches to achieve sustained competitive excellence. In addition to overseeing domestic competition opportunities, U.S. Paralympics Cycling is responsible for the selection and training of U.S. teams for international competition including world championships, ParaPan American Games, and the Paralympic Games. Road Para-cycling for men and women has been a part of the Paralympic program since New York/Stoke Mandeville 1984, and has been contested at every Games since. Track Para-cycling entered the Paralympic program 12 years later at Atlanta 1996. 

Contact: Kristen Gowdy (719-505-0901/kristen.gowdy@usopc.org)  

About Texas A&M - RELLIS

The Texas A&M - RELLIS campus, located on 2,300 acres eight miles from the Texas A&M University campus in College Station, Texas, is a Texas A&M University System asset focused on providing an environment to solve the world’s most complex problems. A&M RELLIS is a national-level innovation and technology campus, uniquely enhanced by our ability to connect as a gateway to the greater Texas A&M University System.

About City of Bryan, Texas

Centrally located in the Texas triangle (Houston, Austin/San Antonio, and Dallas/Fort Worth), the City of Bryan offers connectivity to more than 70% of the state’s entire population within a 3-hour drive. The Birthplace of Aggieland® is a diverse and historic city with more than 93,500 residents, and has been established as a Texas Cultural District, and a Film and Music Friendly Community.