Cycling is a relatively new sport for athletes with a disability. At the beginning of the eighties blind athletes and athletes with vision impairment began participating in Cycling competitions. Athletes with cerebral palsy and amputees first competed during the 1984 International Games for the Disabled.

The inclusion of Road Cycling in the competition programme of the 1988 Paralympic Games, in Seoul, constituted a milestone in the history of Cycling. Until the 1992 Paralympic Games in Barcelona, athletes in every disability class competed separately. The Track Cycling events were first included in the Paralympic Games programme, in 1996, in Atlanta.

The International Cycling Union (Union Cycliste Internationale – UCI), which was founded in Rome in 1900 and the Cycling Committee of the International Paralympic Committee, are responsible for the institution of the rules and regulations governing the sport and for the sports’ development worldwide.

During competition, training and warm-up sessions at official competition venues, athletes have to wear a helmet.

The helmet’s colour depends on the athlete’s class: 

	Athletes in the men’s Tandem, LC1 and Group 2 classes must wear a red helmet,
	Athletes in the mixed Tandem, LC3 and Group 3 classes must wear a blue helmet,
	Athletes in the LC4 and Group 1 classes must wear a green helmet,
	Athletes in the women’s Tandem, LC2 and Group 4 classes must wear a white helmet.

Eligibility

Athletes with a different kind and level of disability are competing at the Paralympic Games. In order to compete on equal terms, athletes are classified into different classes. Specialised medical and technical personnel, called classifiers, perform classification assessment. They are evaluating the athletes with various procedures and tests based on their functional ability to perform skills required by the sport. In that way it is guaranteed that the athletes competing within a class have equal or similar functional abilities. The International Paralympic Committee is the competent authority for all matters related to Cycling for athletes with a disability. Some of the rules that are followed for the cyclists’ classification are listed below. Classes: Vision impaired and blind athletesLocomotor DisabledCerebral PalsyHandcycling Vision impaired and blind athletes Blind or visually impaired athletes compete on the rear of tandem bicycles, along with a sighted athlete, and are classified into three classes:   B1: Athletes with no light perception in either eye, and athletes with light perception who are unable to recognise the shape of a hand at any distance or in any direction are categorised as B1 athletes. B2: Athletes who are able to recognise the shape of a hand up to visual acuity of 2/60 and/or visual field of less than 5 degrees, are categorised as B2 athletes. B3: Athletes with visual acuity of 2/60 up to 6/60 and/or visual field of more than 5 degrees and less than 20 degrees are categorised as B3 athletes. Note: All classifications are in the best eye with the best correction, i.e., all athletes who use contact or corrective lenses must wear them for classification, whether they intend to wear them in competition or not. Athletes with Locomotor Disabilities (LC) Athletes with a physical (locomotor) disability compete in four different classes: LC1, LC2, LC3 and LC4, where men and women compete together. Both men and women athletes are classified according to the same rules. However, women compete in one lower class level than the one in which the men with the respective degree of disability are classified.  Eg., while a woman athlete might be classified in LC1, she will compete with cyclists in the LC2 class. LC1: Athletes with minor or no lower limb disability are classified as LC1 athletes. Some examples of minimum disability of LC1 athletes are the following: Amputation of more than half-foot. Leg length difference of 7-12 cm. Deformations of the spine which makes riding in a normal aerodynamic position not possible. LC2: Athletes with disabilities in one leg, who are able to pedal normally using both legs, with or without prostheses, are classified as LC2 athletes. Some examples of minimum disability of LC2 athletes are the following: Single above- or below-knee amputation with prosthesis. Leg length difference of more than 12 cm. Amputation or paralysis of both upper limbs with artificial handgrips on one or both sides. LC3: LC3: Athletes with disabilities in one lower limb (with or without upper limb disabilities), most of whom pedal using one leg, are classified as LC3 athletes. Some examples of minimum disability of LC3 athletes are the following: Single above- or below-knee amputation without prosthesis, or with prosthesis such that the radius of rotation of pedal on the amputated side is 0 (zero) or not more than 6 cm. Double below-knee amputation, with prostheses. One lower limb not functional for normal pedaling, for example: radius of rotation of pedal is not more than 6 cm. LC4: Athletes with more severe disabilities, which usually affect both lower limbs (with or without upper limb disabilities), are classified as LC4 athletes. Some examples of minimum disability of LC4 athletes are the following: Double above-knee amputation, with one or two prostheses. Single above-knee amputation and amputation of upper member, without leg prosthesis and holding the handlebar with only one hand. Combination of above-knee and below-knee amputation with one or two prostheses. Cerebralna paraliza (CP) Athletes with cerebral palsy compete in four different divisions: CP division 1, CP division 2, CP division 3 and CP division 4. Men and women cyclists compete together on equal terms.   CP Division 4: The least severely disabled athletes, who race on bicycles, are classified in this division. Division 4 equates to CP-ISRA Classes 8 and 7. An example of minimum disability is the following: Possible loss of function by uncoordinated hands or one leg CP Division 3 and 2: Athletes in these divisions can choose whether they will compete on bicycles (Division 3), or tricycles (Division 2). Both divisions equate to CP-ISRA Classes 6 and 5. An example of minimum disability is the following: Balance problems and difficulty with seated balance and control. CP Division 1: The more severely disabled athletes, who race on tricycles, are classified in this division. Division 1 equates to CP-ISRA Classes 4, 3, 2 and 1. An example of minimum disability is the following: Poor functional strength in trunk and all extremities Handcycling (HC) Handcycling athletes compete in two disability divisions: HC Division 4/3 and HC Division 2/1, with separate events for men and women. Athletes who, in their daily life use wheelchairs for general mobility, or athletes with severe deficiency in their lower limbs who are not able to compete with a bicycle or tricycle, are classified as Handcycling athletes. One example of minimum disability of HC Division 4/3 athletes is the following: Paraplegic or leg amputee with full trunk stability Some examples of minimum disability of HC Division 2/1 athletes are the following: Tetraplegic, quadriplegic or paraplegic Limited use of arms and hands Also see: International Cycling Union (UCI)International Paralympic Committee