Virtus Cycling: A Journey from World Championships to Paralympic Ambitions
For four decades, cycling has been an important part of the Virtus movement, combining endurance, speed, strategy and determination. From road races to the velodrome, Virtus Cycling has opened opportunities for athletes with an intellectual disability to compete at the highest international level while building a pathway towards the Paralympic movement.
Today, the programme spans both road and track disciplines, with athletes competing at World Championships, Regional Championships and the Virtus Global Games.
Road events include Road Races, Individual and Team Time Trials, and Sportives, while track competitions feature the 200m Sprint, Team Sprint, Individual Pursuit, Time Trial, Scratch Race and Omnium. Together, these disciplines provide athletes with a comprehensive international competition pathway.
Virtus Cycling competitions are conducted under the rules and regulations of the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), with approved Virtus adaptations where required. Virtus is also responsible for determining the eligibility of all athletes wishing to compete internationally, ensuring fair and credible competition for cyclists with an intellectual disability.
Building an International Competition Pathway
The international journey of Virtus Cycling began in 1999, when the first World Championships were held in Spain. Since then, the sport has grown into one of the most established programmes within Virtus, with 11 major championships organised, including seven World Championships and four European Championships. Cycling has also been part of every Virtus Global Games since the inaugural edition in the Czech Republic in 2009.
In recent years, Virtus has significantly expanded its cycling calendar to provide more opportunities for athletes throughout the year. The 2023 Virtus Global Games featured road racing in Vichy and track cycling at the Bourges Velodrome, while also introducing the Virtus Open Cycling Time Trial in Roybon-Chambaran. The event returned in 2024 and 2026, becoming an important fixture on the international calendar. In 2024, Virtus launched the Virtus Cycling World Series, beginning in Ballarat, Australia, before expanding to Perth in 2025 alongside a second Northern Hemisphere event. The calendar continued to grow in 2026 with the inaugural Virtus Open Parapanne Cycling Days in De Panne, Belgium, featuring both Individual Time Trial and Road Race competitions.
These events have strengthened the international pathway for athletes while creating more opportunities to compete against the world’s best throughout the season.
Over the years, Virtus Cycling has produced some iconic stars. Lauren Booth (GBR), Kiera Byland (GBR), Louis Fuhrmann (FRA), Molly Thatcher (AUS), Georgia Powning (AUS), Erick Javier Tufiño (ECU), Irina Nikitina (RUS), Cameron Marshall (AUS) and Josue Rinna (FRA), are some of the athletes in the II1 category, who have claimed podium spot.
Following extensive research and development, the II2 class for athletes with an intellectual disability and significant additional impairments became a full medal event at the Brisbane 2019 Global Games, followed by the II3 class for athletes with autism at the 2023 Virtus Global Games in Vichy, France.
Pomorski Vincent (FRA) and Ange Richiero (FRA) in the II2 category and Shamis Nizan (ISR), Dastan Ordabay(KAZ), Laura Lauwerijs (BEL)and Tal Rozenfeld (ISR) in the II3 category are some of the outstanding athletes who are raising the bar in the new classes.
Riding Towards the Paralympic Dream
For many athletes, Virtus Cycling is about much more than medals. It provides a pathway to elite competition and the opportunity to pursue one of the sport’s greatest ambitions – to compete in UCI Para-cycling competitions and, ultimately, the Paralympic Games.
As participation continues to grow and competition standards rise, Virtus remains committed to working alongside the cycling community to expand opportunities for athletes with intellectual disabilities and strengthen the sport’s international profile.
Looking Ahead
As Virtus celebrates four decades of inclusive sport, cycling continues to gather momentum. The expansion of the international competition calendar, the introduction of new development events and the growth of the World Series have created more opportunities than ever before for athletes with an intellectual disability to compete internationally.
This remarkable progress has only been possible through the dedication of athletes, coaches, technical officials, volunteers, member organisations, National Cycling Federations and the Virtus Cycling Committee, whose commitment has helped shape the programme over many years.
Most importantly, Virtus Cycling continues to demonstrate that athletes with an intellectual disability belong at the highest level of international competition. With growing participation, stronger international partnerships and an unwavering ambition to reach the Paralympic stage, the future of the sport has never looked brighter.
If you know someone with an intellectual disability or autism who would like to compete in the Virtus Cycling programme, encourage them to contact their national Virtus member organisation, apply for eligibility and begin their journey towards international competition and future Virtus Championships and Global Games.
