The US team finally won an afternoon gold through Barbara Buchan in the Women's Individual Time Trial (LC3/LC4/CP3), another new Paralympic class. Placed second in the CP3 class at the 2007 World Championships, Buchan went one better today coming home with over two minutes to spare over her team mate Alison Jones in the silver position and three minutes over Paula Tesoriero of New Zealand.
Now there was no stopping the US team with Karissa Whitsell and her pilot Mackenzie Woodring at last having something to celebrate after a day at the road races and four days at the track cycling competition. Whitsell not only took gold but retained her Athens 2004 title in the Women's Individual Time Trial (B&VI 1-3) event, beating the 2007 World Championships gold medalist Iryna Fiadotova of Belarus. Jayne Parsons of New Zealand took third, beating her Antipodean rival and Athens silver medalist Lindy Hou of Australia into fourth.
In the final race of the day, the US momentum seemed to stumble. Christian Venge and his pilot David Llauredo of Spain went one better than the silver they took in Athens finishing 27 seconds ahead of surprise silver and bronze medalists Alfred Stelleman of the Netherlands and Krzysztof Kosikowski of Poland. The Dutch rider's name fails to appear on any medal list outside the Netherlands while his opponent was placed only 14th at the 2007 World Championships. Australian Kieran Modra, bronze medalist at both Athens and Bordeaux could place only fifth.
(BOCOG September 12, 2008)