The Swiss Paraplegic Foundation (SPF) will be represented at the 2024 UCI Road and Para-cycling Road World Championships in Zurich, Switzerland. As Presenting Partner of the City Race, the public race on the final day of the Elite competitions, and with other activities, the internationally renowned institution will be part of the major cycling event in September.
The Swiss Paraplegic Group has made a significant contribution to the ongoing development of para-sport in Switzerland. It has excellent sports and support infrastructure at its headquarters in Nottwil, which it also makes available time and again for international competitions and for training camps for various sports.
The SPF demonstrates its commitment to para-cycling with its presenting partnership of the City Race at the 2024 UCI Road and Para-cycling Road World Championships. The public race will be held on Sunday, 29 September 2024, on the City Circuit, the heart of the UCI Worlds. In addition to the Charity Ride on 21 September and the Legends Race on 22 September, the City Race offers the cycling community the opportunity to ride on the closed-off official UCI World Championship routes.
As part of the agreed partnership, the Swiss Paraplegic Foundation and LOC will offer a one-year membership of the Paraplegic Foundation to each participant in the City Race
For Stephan Michel, Head of Marketing and Communication at SPF, the presenting partnership helps to realise the goals of his institution: “Our vision is a world in which people with spinal cord injury lead a self-determined life with the best possible health. Sporting activity is an important element in regaining and maintaining this self-determination. With the City Race, which, like the Charity Ride and the Legends Race, is open to people with and without disabilities, we are sending out a strong signal in favour of inclusion together with the LOC Zurich 2024.”
Talks and other activities
In addition, an SPF representative will be on stage at the Sechseläutenplatz fan zone for one of the talks scheduled as part of the comprehensive event programme during the UCI Road and Para-cycling Road World Championships. The LOC Zurich 2024 will unveil the detailed programme in a few weeks’ time. Joint activities are also being planned with other partners in the fan zone on Bürkliplatz.
“The Swiss Paraplegic Group enjoys a worldwide reputation for its treatment, care, support and rehabilitation of people with spinal paralysis. The LOC Zurich 2024 is delighted to welcome the Swiss Paraplegic Foundation, the umbrella organisation of the group, as the presenting partner of the City Race”, says Daniel Rupf, managing director of the organising committee.
Zurich 2024 is making sporting history. With the first full inclusion and integration of the UCI Para-cycling Road World Championships into the UCI Road World Championships for non-para athletes, para-sport as a whole will receive a huge boost. The novelty is that the para-cyclists are fully integrated into the UCI World Championships programme in terms of time and location. Where it makes sporting sense, they will also be competing on the same racecourses as the non-para athletes. All riders will cross the same finish line at Sechseläutenplatz.
Swiss Paraplegic Foundation
The Swiss Paraplegic Foundation (SPF) in Nottwil LU is one of the largest solidarity organisations in the country. It forms the umbrella organisation of the Swiss Paraplegic Group, which comprises a globally unique service network for the holistic rehabilitation of paraplegics. The linking of seamless services from the accident site to medical care, rehabilitation and lifelong support and counselling is unique. 1.9 million people form the financial basis for the activities of this solidarity organisation with their membership of the SPF Patrons’ Association. Around 2000 employees work hard every day to fulfil its demanding tasks. The SPF was founded in 1975 by the current Honorary President Dr Guido A. Zäch. More information at www.paraplegie.ch.
