Another Double Gold Day for Team USA on Day Three of the 2022 Road World Championships
by Annemarie Blanco
BAIE-COMEAU, CANADA – Superstars Kate Brim (Lowell, Michigan) and Oksana Masters (Louisville, Kentucky) had a perfect run at the 2022 UCI Para-cycling Road World Championships each collecting their second ever road world titles after top finishes in Saturday’s road race competition. The duo has now secured four of the United States’ six 2022 championship titles. Brim comes off a double win in the women’s H2 division at the Quebec City world cup and has gone undefeated in every international competition to which she’s competed.
“I hit all my expectations for the course, I was able to get my goal by a minute and a half which is really cool seeing,” said Brim. “It felt good overall, it’s amazing. I’ve learned a lot about racing with others and what to expect and how to handle my bike on some pretty crazy downhills and some turns. I hope to keep learning as the journey continues.”
17-time Paralympic medalist Masters has now secured 24 world championship medals include 13 gold across Para-cycling and Para Nordic skiing. Her cycling titles in Baie-Comeau come after nine years and four world championship appearances.
“I never in a million years thought that I was going to be a world champion in one of these [jerseys], let alone two especially in the road race,” said Masters. “I can’t believe it. Honestly the last kilometer was such a team effort – my teammates, coaches, everyone was there telling me what to do. If it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t be able to bring Team USA home this gold medal.”
In the men’s T2 division, Dennis Connors (Portland, Oregon) grabbed his first world championship silver medal in the road race. Only one hundredth of a second separated the top three competitors. Connors previously won a world championship bronze medal at the 2021 UCI Para-cycling Road World Championships in the time trial.
“I am feeling great,” said Connors. “That was a hard-fought battle and a payback from the mechanical. I got a silver medal, so I’m psyched. I’m taking away to remember to have fun.”
In the men’s H5 division, Paralympic bronze medalist Freddie De Los Santos (Hopewell Junction, New York) led the middle of the pack fighting for bronze for much of the seven-lap race but a last-minute sprint from competitors pulled him into the fourth-place finish. Travis Gaertner (Burien, Washington) suffered a crash in the men’s H4 road race causing him to be forced out of competition. The final competitor of the day, Ryan Pinney (Phoenix, Arizona) grabbed a 16th place finish in the men’s H3 only twelve weeks after recovering from an injury.
The final ten U.S. competitors including 2022 time trial champions Sam Bosco (Claremont, California) and Clara Brown (Falmouth, Maine), take to the world stage for men’s and women’s C1-5 road races on the final day of the 2022 world championships. Click here for full results of the 2022 UCI Para-cycling Road World Championships. A livestream of competition is available to view here.
Follow U.S. Paralympics Cycling on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for Team USA’s latest news and updates. For photo and interview requests, contact Annemarie Blanco (annemarie.blanco@usopc.org).