Steffan's Profile

Welshman Steffan Lloyd made his Paralympic Games debut in summer 2024 in Paris, as pilot to countryman James Ball in the men’s tandem B 1km time-trial event, where they picked up their first Paralympic title together. The two have been working together for two years, winning a number of medals as part of a developing partnership.

Growing up, Lloyd’s ambition was to play rugby for Wales, but was inspired to take up cycling after watching the sport on TV and became hooked after taster sessions at the Geraint Thomas National Velodrome.

Lloyd rode for Wales at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham as pilot to Alex Pope in the 1km time-trial event, where the pair finished fifth. From there, he was selected by the Great Britain Cycling Team to pilot four-time world champion James Ball. The pair had a successful start, winning a mixed team sprint gold, 1km time-trial silver and a sprint bronze at the UCI Para-Track World Championships in Paris on their racing debut.

The following year at the home world championships in Glasgow, Lloyd piloted Ball to another silver medal.

At the start of 2024, Ball and Lloyd overcame home rivals Neil Fachie and Matt Rotherham at the British National Track Championships in February to take the gold in the men’s sprint.

At the UCI Para-Track World Championships in Rio de Janeiro, the pair continued their success with another 1km time-trial silver, just being edged out by Fachie and Rotherham in a photo finish. The pair also claimed a bronze in the sprint to add to their palmares.

Entering into his first Paralympic Games, Lloyd was well supported by three-time Paralympian Ball as the two went in search of medal glory. 

The Paris 2024 Paralympic Games saw the British tandem pairs go head-to-head once again on the biggest stage in Paralympic sport as they lined up to contest the men’s B 1km time-trial. 

Lloyd and Ball got off to a very strong start in qualifying, riding the second fastest time of 59.793, just 0.313 off the German pairing of Thomas Ulbricht and pilot Robert Foerstemann.

In the final, Fachie and Rotherham topped the table with a time of 59.312, before Ball and Lloyd followed with a flawless performance of 58.964 seconds, which catapulted them to the top of the leaderboard.  After a tense few moments waiting to see what the German pair could deliver, it was delight for Lloyd and Ball as they took their first Paralympic title together.

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