RehabMove 2018: Handcycling classification: a first look into the current classification system

According to the International Paralympic Committee, classification must minimize the impact of impairment on performance through an evidence-based system. However, current handcycling classification is mostly based on expert opinion. The aim of this study was to explore whether average race speed is different between sport classes. Official time trial results of men’s H1-H5 classes from the Union Cycliste Internationale’s Championships Greenville 2014, Nottwil 2015 and Pietermaritzburg 2017 were used. Distances were 8.3km for H1 and 16.6km for H2-H5 in Greenville; 14km for H1-H2 and 15.5km for H3-H5 in Nottwil; and 15.5km for H1-H2 and 23.3km for H3-H5 in Pietermaritzburg. Average speed was calculated from race results. Kruskal-Wallis tests followed by Mann-Whitney U tests with Bonferroni correction were conducted to compare the average speed of the top 10 athletes between consecutive classes on each separate championship. Under a significance threshold set at .0125, there were significant differences between H1-H2 (p=.002 in Greenville; and p<.001 in Nottwil and Pietermaritzburg) and H2-H3 (p<.001 in Greenville and Pietermaritzburg; and p=.009 in Nottwil). There were no significant differences between H3-H4 (p=.089 in Greenville; p=.052 in Nottwil; and p=.143 in Pietermaritzburg) and H4-H5 (p=.123 in Greenville; p=.604 in Nottwil; p=.968 in Pietermaritzburg). Differences in median speed were less than 2 km/h in all events between H3-H4 and H4-H5, having H4 and H5 the same median speed in Pietermaritzburg (34.9 km/h). Hence, the consecutive classes H3-H4 and H4-H5 showed comparable race speed in all championships. The potential confounding of different variables (e.g. inclination, race distance, handbike type) does not allow us to make strong assumptions only based on speed as a performance measure. However, our results stress the need for a stronger research into the current handcycling classification system