The event in Belgium is the first major Para-cycling competition to take place since the COVID-19 pandemic hit, following a series of cancellations amid the global health crisis.

Individual time trial competitions were the focus on the opening day of racing, with Reinoso Figuerola posting the fastest time in the men’s T2 event.

The Spanish athlete completed the 10 kilometre course, located alongside the seafront, in a time of 33min 3.49sec.

He finished 1:23 clear of his nearest challenger Tim Celen, with the Belgian rider placing second at his home event.

United States’ Matthew Rodriguez finished third, ending a further 25 seconds down.

Germany’s Maximilian Jäger topped the podium in the men’s T1 competition in 36:35.77, with Italy’s Giorgio Farroni 1:10 behind in second.

Spain’s Gonzalo Garcia Abella completed the top three, ending 2:13 adrift of the winner’s time.

Four women’s races were held on the opening day, with two handbike and two tricycle events contested.

Mexico’s Dulce Gonzalez Guerrero was the winner of the women’s T1 competition by a narrow margin.

She finished the event in a time of 50:13.24.

Russia’s Yulia Sibagatova finished just 0.32 seconds off the winner’s time in the two-rider competition.

United States enjoyed a one-two finish in the women’s T2 event, with Monica Sereda earning victory in 39:17.

Her compatriot Jill Walsh was 43 seconds slower as the runner-up, while Britain’s Hannah Dines completed the top three at 2:17 down.