Canada’s Gautier wins gold in T! time trial at para-cycling worlds

PIETERMARITZBURG, South Africa – Canada’s Shelley Gautier won a gold medal in the women’s T1 time trial Thursday at the para-cycling world championships.

Gautier finished the 15.5-kilometre race in 38 minutes 3.35 seconds, 5.11 seconds faster than Yulia Sibagatova of Russia.

The Toronto native claimed her seventh time trial world title, and her 13th overall para-cycling world title.

“It feels magical to have a team of people who all do the little things that help me,” Gautier said. “I’m really, really excited to be world champion, and I’ll treasure it and ride well wearing (the rainbow jersey) in the next year.”

Also Thursday,Charles Moreau of Victoriaville, Que., won bronze in the H3 men’s time trial. Moreau finished the 23.3-km race with a time of 40:22.98, 52.39 seconds behind winner Paolo Cecchetto of Italy.

It’s the first world championship medal for Moreau, a double bronze-medallist at the Rio Paralympics.

“It feels really good to get my first (worlds) medal,” Moreau said. “Today was a great experience, with a bigger field than in Rio. I had a bit of stress at the start with some problems with my bike computer and I started a bit too strong. I had to slow my pace if I wanted to last the whole race, but I did well against some really experienced racers.”