From rivals to team-mates – Ball links up with Pope
British para-cyclist James Ball has teamed up with Aaron Pope, who previously piloted rival Neil Fachie, as he prepares for the track world championships. The new partnership will aim to defend Ball’s world titles and build towards the 2028 Paralympics.
The pair raced against each other at the Commonwealth Games three months ago: Pope helped Fachie win two golds for Scotland, while Ball and Matt Rotherham took two silvers for Wales. Ball, 35, is now on his sixth pilot and says each new partnership brings a fresh start; the championships in Apeldoorn will help them gauge their form against a growing field of international tandems.
In short
- James Ball has partnered with Aaron Pope.
- They will compete at the track world championships in Apeldoorn.
- The duo are building towards the 2028 Paralympics.
Explained simply
Para-cycling includes tandem events in which a visually impaired cyclist rides with a sighted partner, known as a pilot. The two riders work together to steer and pedal, and compete as a team.
James Ball is a Welsh para-cyclist who has won world titles with different pilots. Aaron Pope previously rode with Scottish cyclist Neil Fachie, one of Ball’s rivals; at the Commonwealth Games, Pope and Fachie won two gold medals, while Ball and Matt Rotherham took two silvers.
A pilot change means a new pairing has to develop its timing and coordination. Results at the world championships can show how a tandem is performing, while the longer-term target for many riders is the Paralympic Games.