It is already the 8th edition of the Specialclassics, a cycling race for people with intellectual and multiple disabilities. The race is part of the Vattenfall Cyclassics and is integrated in the Youngclassics youth tour. A total of 120 starters participated.

The Specialclassics are a two day stage race in which a small group of competitors take part. The first start of the two day race is in Buchholz on 17th August, where the cyclists will take on the tough round course. The second stage will take place in Hamburg and takes the cyclists around the “Binnenalster” on the following day. Afterwards competitors with mountain bikes and tricycles have a separate race there.

The Specialclassics have their roots from the Special Olympics, an international sporting organization who is active in 170 different countries and who has a total number of about 2.5 million mentally challenged kids, teens and adults. With these numbers, they constitute the largest sporting movement for the mentally challenged worldwide. The Special Olympics is the only organization authorized worldwide by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to use the “Olympics” designation.