GB's Bate out of road race because of pilot illness

Former Paralympic champion Stephen Bate has been forced to retreat from nan men's B cycling roadworthy title aft his aviator Chris Latham fell ill.

Bate, 47, races successful nan class for visually impaired riders. All competitors thrust connected tandem bikes pinch a sighted pilot.

Bate and Latham person formed a squad passim nan Paris 2024 Paralympics, winning metallic successful nan individual pursuit earlier successful nan Games.

But Latham's unwellness intends Bate is incapable to participate and he was forced to retreat connected Friday morning, hours earlier nan race.

"Unfortunately complete nan past 24 hours Chris Latham has developed signs and symptoms of unwellness and has truthful been withdrawn from nan roadworthy title connected aesculapian grounds," a connection from British Cycling read.

"This intends he and tandem partner Steve Bate will nary longer beryllium competing successful nan men’s B roadworthy title this afternoon. We wish Chris a speedy betterment and look guardant to seeing him backmost connected his motorcycle soon."

Riders and pilots successful nan B class are a team, meaning a replacement aviator cannot beryllium originated for Bate.

After winning metallic connected nan opening time of nan Games successful nan velodrome, Bate and Latham competed successful nan men's B roadworthy clip proceedings connected Wednesday.

They vanished 5th successful what whitethorn beryllium to beryllium Bate's last Paralympic Games race.

Bate is 1 of nan astir knowledgeable members of nan ParalympicGB squad, and won 2 golden medals astatine nan 2016 Games successful Rio de Janeiro.