Following a first outing on the international stage in the Berlin World Summer Games last year, the Special Olympics Gibraltar (SOG) cycling team were putting in last minute training this week for an invitational Special Olympics European Championship Race which is being held in Belgium on the 15^th September. 

The race forms a part of the 2024 UEC Road European Championships in Limburg, Flanders and for the first time ever Special Olympics will have their own race in the European Championships programme. To be taking part in an official international race of a major championship, organised on behalf of and together with the Union Europeene de Cyclisme, is exceptional and includes a visit to the Heusden-Zolder velodrome the day before their race which will take in a cycling clinic and the divisioning for the championship races. 

Representing Gibraltar will be cyclists Gianni Ochello and Francis Mauro Jnr. Gianni will be competing in the 5 km road race and Francis the 15 km road race, both carried out on a 5.1 km circuit. A lot of spectators are expected. Francis is an ‘old pro’ having won gold, silver and bronze medals in cycling at the World Games in Berlin last year whilst this will be Gianni’s first competitive event in cycling which he only took up relatively recently. SOG have expanded their cycling program in the last 12 months, taking on several new cyclists participating in regular cycling training sessions.

The pair will leave Gibraltar on Friday 13^th September and will join around 40 Special Olympics cyclists from around Europe in the races on Sunday 15^th September.