September 14, 2015
Durst, Teuber, and Warias win the overall World Cup
Para-Cycling World Cup Final: Strong German team crowns fantastic season.
Steffen Warias (30/RVC Reute/TΓΌbingen) got off to a perfect start: gold in the time trial at the Para-Cycling World Cup Final in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, thus securing the overall World Cup title even before the final road race. He was all smiles in the warm-up tent and playfully put his teammates under pressure: "Now I've shown you how it's done, you just have to follow suit," Warias winked. No sooner said than done: Hans-Peter Durst (57/Sturm 1925 Homburg/Dortmund) and Michael Teuber (47/BSV MΓΌnchen/Dietenhausen) also celebrated winning the overall World Cup title. Teuber even achieved a double victory, while Durst took gold in the time trial and silver in the road race.
The German team once again demonstrated its strength and crowned a fantastic season β three overall World Cup victories, eight gold medals, second place overall behind the USA, and a wealth of crucial points toward qualifying for the 2016 Rio Paralympics. "That was almost the maximum possible result. We achieved some fantastic successes and are, of course, very pleased," said national coach Patrick Kromer. Besides the overall World Cup-winning trio, Christiane Reppe impressed with a double victory, Dorothee Vieth with gold in the time trial and silver in the road race, and Vico Merklein, who finished the road race fastest. The other German medals were won by Kerstin Brachtendorf (silver/road, bronze/time), Max Weber (silver/road), and Jana Majunke (bronze/time), as well as the men's team (bronze).
The mood among the German team was accordingly excellent. Hans-Peter Durst wasn't even deterred by his crash in the World Championship sprint finish just after the finish line, when the two-time world champion suffered a concussion, bruises, and abrasions. "Although I wasn't riding my usual bike due to the damaged frame after the crash, I was otherwise back on track. Six weeks after the serious crash, I was very nervous before the races, and now I'm delighted with the fantastic end to a great season," Durst summarized. Michael Teuber was equally delighted: βAfter breaking my leg in 2014, it was my most difficult season to date β and yet one of my best. The fact that I managed to defend my title in the World Championship time trial, achieve five World Cup victories and win the overall World Cup at the age of 47 is simply incredible.β