Homewood resident qualifies for para-cycling world championships

Jennifer Schuble has raced in three Paralympic Games, the 2016 Invictus Games and multiple world championships. But when you’re in the elite levels of road para-cycling, there is no such thing as resting on your laurels.

“Every year you’re having to prove that you belong,” Schuble said.

Schuble, a Homewood resident with multiple sclerosis and two traumatic brain injuries, has been competing internationally in Paralympic cycling since 2007. Her latest accomplishment is being named one of 18 athletes competing for Team USA at the UCI Para-cycling Road World Championships. The championships will be held Aug. 2-5 in Maniago, Italy.

She last competed in the Road World Championships in Italy in 2010.

“I love racing in Italy. Italy’s very passionate about cycling. The fan base is much stronger than you find anywhere else in the world when you’re racing on the road,” Schuble said. “The last time I raced in Italy I won the road race, so I have fond memories.”

Schuble’s training regimen is intense. She’s riding six days a week and competing in local races and time trials, as well as training at the Lakeshore Foundation. However, she has had an additional hurdle to clear as her symptoms of MS flared after she returned from the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games and again this spring.

“I’m trying to, you know, bounce back from that,” Schuble said. “I’ve dealt with this before, though.”

The Road World Championships have more at stake than just one race. Athletes’ performance there will be factored into qualifying for the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games, so Schuble said competition will be intense.

Schuble is hoping to land a spot in the Tokyo Games through her performance in Italy and other international races she hopes to qualify for in 2019. Though she has five Paralympic medals to her name from Beijing, London and Rio, Schuble said earning a spot on the U.S. team is never a given.

“Right now I’m taking it year by year,” she said. “Every year I have to evaluate, where am I?”

However, Schuble said she’s looking forward to the upcoming race in Italy because of the beautiful terrain, even if she’s expecting it to be hot and humid.

More information about the UCI Para-cycling Road World Championships can be found at uci.ch/para-cycling.