Martin Haggelund’s spectacular comeback: Daniel Heggelund, a Danish Para road cyclist, is competing in his first Paralympics in Paris. This comes six years after he completed a short version of the Tour de France.
In 2018, the 40-year-old and his father Mogens rode a tandem bicycle more than 1,000 km from Baeverskov, Denmark (near Copenhagen), to Paris, France.
He said, “We started to ride to Germany.” “There were eight stages.” He said the best part was riding up Mur de Huy, Belgium’s most famous cycling hill. It’s 1.3 kilometers long and has a gradient that goes from 0% to 26% at its steepest point.
It is the tough final stage of the Flèche Wallonne and Flèche Wallonne Féminine one-day professional road races, and it was also a stage in the 2015 Le Tour de France. Heggelund and the other 24 riders planned their trip so that it started on the same day that Tour riders arrived in Paris.
He said, “Riding on the Champs-Élysées was so much fun.” Heggelund couldn’t walk to see the pros because his cycle shoes gave him a blister on his toe. He had to stay in the hotel and watch it on TV. They said, ‘After the third or the fourth stage, we puncture a hole in the shoe.
Pedal to the metal
Heggelund is preparing to race in the individual time trial and road race in the men’s T1-2 category in Paris. He looks forward to it being way better this time.
He remarked, “I’m not used to riding with others, therefore the time trial is my strongest event. I’d rather ride by myself.” As a way to help him keep his balance, he will ride a three-wheel red racer in Paris. He said it was hard to stay focused the whole time. “I have to pay attention to the road and nothing else,” he said.
“I’m calm.” It’s one day at a time for me. He made fun of the fact that red bikes really do go faster. He said, “I love the speed.” Heggelund began working out regularly with a professional coach four years ago, who gave him an organized workout plan and food intake guidelines. His dad made fun of him by saying, “Living like a pro.
Bike crazy Danes
People in Denmark love riding bikes and often ride to work in the snow and heavy rain. He said that Danes always ride bikes because they like getting outside. Big names like Mads Pedersen and Jonas Vingegaard, who won back-to-back Le Tour de France wins in 2022 and 2023, show that this small country can compete with the best in the world.
He joked, “I used to watch the tour every day on TV, but now I’m too busy working out.” In the late 1980s, Heggelund’s parents got him a tandem bike, which made him fall in love with riding bikes. You move faster when you see Danish flags in the crowd.” Also, he’s proud to be an example for Danes with disabilities. He said, “I’m a little shy.” I rarely talk out loud. I allowed my cycling to speak for itself.
