UCI Cycling World Champs: Du Preez reigns supreme with gold
The defending world champion Pieter Du Preez, affectionately known as Supa Piet, crossed the finish line in 24:07.20 ahead of Belguim's Maxime Hordies and Italian - Fabrizio Cornegliani.
Paralympic and World champion Pieter du Preez. Picture: @Cycling_SA/Twitter.
JOHANNESBURG - Paralympic champion Pieter du Preez scooped a gold medal in the Time Trial at the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships in Glasgow.
The defending world champion Du Preez, affectionately known as Supa Piet, crossed the finish line in 24:07.20 ahead of Belguim's Maxime Hordies and Italian - Fabrizio Cornegliani.
Du Preez who competes in the H1 category increased his rainbow jerseys tally to six in the individual Time Trial.
H1 is for hand cyclists that have highly affected movement in the trunk, legs and hands.
Du Preez also won the gold medal in the men’s H1 cycling time trial at the Tokyo Paralympic Games last year.
The actuarial analyst at Deloitte South Africa took part in the Para-cycling National Championships earlier this year where he retained his national champion title.
Supa Piet who was nominated for the Laureus World Sports Awards in 2016, has won the Berlin Marathon more than six times and is a multiple African and world record holder, a world champion, and he only has 15% of the muscle function of an able-bodied person due to a cycling accident in 2003.
He was also the first quadriplegic in the world to partake in and complete the Ironman Triathlon in 2013.
With his eyesight deteriorating, Du Preez has aspirations of heading to Paris for the Paralympic Games in 2024.
The para-cyclist is part of Team South Africa at the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships taking place from 3-13 August in Scotland.
SA has two para-cyclists at the competition with the second one being Gold Fuchs who came 10th in the T2 category in the individual time trial.