Manche Para-Cycling World Cup in Ostend: 400 athletes from 40 countries

Diederik Ampe from Bruges is one of nearly 400 athletes from 40 countries who compete against each other in different categories. You have riders on a regular bicycle, but you also have tricycles, tandem bicycles and hand bikers, classified according to their physical limitation.

“I used to be in cycling. After my brain haemorrhage, I thought that cycling was lost for me. But thanks to organizations such as Parantee Psylos, we have the opportunity to continue to practice the sport that we love to do,” says Diederik Ampe.

Attention to G-sport has grown

The attention for G-sport in general has certainly grown, and para-cycling is simply top sport. That is also what ex-Palympian Koen Reyserhove says. He competed at the 2012 London Games.

“I can also speak about it myself, I have also experienced it myself. We are guided as top athletes and live 100 percent towards that. If you want to achieve the level that is present here at the World Cup competition, you are obliged to giving everything. That’s also the nice thing to measure yourself against people who give everything and then the best come out.”

Whoever picks up points in Ostend has a chance of a place for the Paralympic Games in 2024.