On October 19, 2024, the seventh Gravel Ride & Race will take place in Bern. It is intended to be a big cycling festival for everyone. Among the more than 1,000 expected starters, four paraathletes in handcycling will be participating for the first time – including Paralympic gold medalist Manuela Schär.
Organizer Christian Rocha emphasizes: «We are an event for everyone, all age groups, all kinds of sporting ambitions, and now also for paraplegics. We want to make it possible for as many people as possible to experience a great day on their bikes together.»
A pilot project is being used to gather valuable experience that will help to make the event more inclusive in the future. The project was initiated by a request from wheelchair athlete Manuela Schär.
«I never thought about taking on a pioneering role. I keep seeing activities that I would really like to try. Sometimes it’s impossible. But I often think about how it could be done with a little improvisation. If you also come across open ears and meet people who are willing to think outside the box, it can turn into a cool story. Of course, you always hope that examples such as the Gravel Ride & Race Bern will get the ball rolling and that there will be more inclusive mass sports events.»
To meet the needs of handbikers, the route was slightly adjusted and wheelchair access to the event site was improved. In addition, the rules that actually prohibit the use of e-bikes were waived for handbikes.
The experiences of this year serve as a test to examine the possibility of a separate handbike category in 2025. The introduction of a gender-separated ranking would then also be planned. An age-separated ranking is not planned for the time being in the new category.
According to Rocha, the participation of paraathletes in the Gravel Ride & Race Bern 2024 represents a significant step towards inclusion, which he and everyone involved is particularly pleased about.
“It really is a great pleasure to be able to take part. There are now many adapted pieces of sports equipment and sports that people with disabilities can take part in, and even compete in. But if you look at it closely, it often has little to do with inclusion. The experience of being part of an event with many other people, in this case over 1,000, and even being in the thick of it, is something we are usually denied, especially in popular sports. Sport brings people together and is even more fun when you can do it together,” Manuela Schär emphasizes in conclusion.
