Tokyo Paralympic Games: cyclist Florian Jouanny offers France a seventh gold medal – archyde

And seven gold medals for France! The day after the bronze in the time trial, cyclist Florian Jouanny was crowned, Tuesday, August 31, Paralympic champion in Tokyo during the online race at the controls of his handcycle (Category H2). This gold medal is the first for the 29-year-old Isérois who played his first Games in Japan.

“I learned while crossing the line that it was the first [médaille d’or] for the French handbike, I couldn’t believe it ”reacts Florian Jouanny, who writes a page on French para-cycling.

He quickly took the lead on the course arriving at Fuji Speedway and relegated his first pursuer the Italian Luca Mazzone, in silver the day before, to more than four minutes by completing the 53 kilometer race at 28.9 km / h average. “I saw that I had made a small hole and I said to myself “I start, I do fifty kilometers alone, way against the clock” “, he describes.

“He has crossed an exceptional course”, praises the manager of the French para-cycling team Laurent Thirionnet. “The two guys he beats [l’Italien et l’Espagnol Sergio Garrote Muñoz], they have been flying over the discipline for two years and relegating the others to light years so he had an exceptional race. “

Fourth gold medal for French paracycling in Tokyo

Quadriplegic following a skiing accident ten years ago, Florian Jouanny retains partial mobility of his arms which allows him to compete in handbikes.

This is the fourth gold medal for French paracycling in Tokyo after those of Alexandre Léauté and Dorian Foulon on the Izu velodrome track last week, then the title of the tandem Alexandre Lloveras – Corentin Ermenault on Tuesday against -the watch on the road.

Just after Florian Jouanny, Loïc Vergnaud came very close to winning a fifth, also in handbike (Category H5). The day after his silver medal in the time trial, Loïc Vergnaud, after having distorted the company to his last two Dutch breakaway companions, was passed over the line by Mitch Valize, one of them. , already world champion in June ahead of him.

For his first Games at 41, already furnished with two silver medals, the Roanne can collect another in relay on Friday with Florian Jouany and Riadh Tarsim.