Discover the new online courses from UCI
Juan José Saldaña
May 25, 2025

As para-cycling gains recognition at the international level, the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) has redoubled its efforts to strengthen not only the sporting practice but also the knowledge surrounding its foundations. With this goal, it has launched two online courses this month on the Classification process—one aimed at training National Classifiers and another open to the general public interested in gaining a clearer understanding of how competitions in this Paralympic discipline are organized.

These courses emerge in response to the growing need to explain a system that, although crucial for fairness in sport, often proves complex even for the most engaged fans. Classification not only groups para-cyclists based on the type of bike they use (standard, tricycle, tandem, or handbike), but also into numbered sport classes that reflect the degree of functional impairment. Understanding this system is key to appreciating the competitive fairness that characterizes high-level para-cycling.

Classification, a fundamental axis of para-cycling

The UCI has developed a rigorous and continuously evolving classification system to ensure fair and representative competitions. This process, which must comply with the Classification Code of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), combines medical and technical assessments conducted by a panel composed of a Medical Classifier and a Technical Classifier. Both analyze not only the athlete’s physical condition but also how their impairment directly affects performance on the bike. This evaluation is conducted in both clinical settings and simulated or competitive environments, providing a comprehensive view of the athlete’s capabilities.

The implementation of these online courses reinforces the UCI’s commitment to the professionalization of classification and the ongoing training of its specialists. Currently, there are 20 active International Classifiers, a number the organization hopes to increase to 30 by next year. Additionally, interdisciplinary collaborations with commissaires, equipment experts, and other international federations have intensified, consolidating a system that is transparent and based on evidence. According to Isabella Zens, UCI’s classification coordinator, this educational expansion is essential: “We want to ensure that an athlete is not defined by their impairment, but that a competition shows who is the best.”

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