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 Bicycle
is one of the most popular means of transportation nowadays. It
is also one of the favourite recreational sports for people of
all ages. At first, Cycling became a sport for blind athletes
and athletes with vision impairment, who started competing with
tandem bicycles (bicycles with two saddles).
 The
Paralympic Games Cycling programme includes two disciplines: Road
Cycling and
Track
Cycling. Road Cycling races take place on public highways,
while the Track Cycling races take place on tracks, or in other
words, a velodrome. Although the rules and regulations governing
the sport are the same as those for the Olympic Cycling, in
certain cases modifications to the bicycles are allowed in order
to facilitate athletes with specific disabilities.
Athletes
with partial or total vision impairment, celebral palsy, spinal
cord injuries, amputees or any other permanent physical
deficiency can participate in Cycling. The athletes are
classified into categories
based on their functional abilities together with the skills
required for the sport. The athletes’ bicycles are modified,
whenever considered necessary, according to the athletes’
needs.
Cycling
at the 2004 Paralympic Games
Track
Cycling events will be held in the
Olympic
Velodrome
at the Athens Olympic Sports Complex (OCO), within
five competition days (18-22 September 2004). Road Cycling
events will be held in
Vouliagmeni,
within the span of three competition days, from 24-26 September
2004.
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