Para Athlete Program

By partnering with like-minded organizations like Adaptive Adventures, we are able to increase access, opportunity, and community connection for more para athletes.

Two women, one in a wheelchair and wearing sunglasses, and the other wearing a baseball cap, are sitting outdoors in a park or event area with a tent and several people standing and walking in the background. The woman in the blue shirt has "Adaptive adventures" written on her back.

In 2022, Foco Fondo added a para category, and, in 2023, worked with our para leader and the community to further develop an enjoyable, accessible, and competitive experience for para athletes. In 2024, with community partners like Adaptive Adventures, we continued to grow our para category! In this and future years, we aspire to continue to learn and make changes to FoCo Fondo so we can better serve this community.

NEW! In 2026, along with our BIPOC and Non-Binary/Gender Expansive communities, para athletes are now eligible to apply for a scholarship for an entry and housing to attend FoCo Fondo.

This initiative includes a para rider meetup during event weekend.

Apply for a Scholarship to Attend FoCo Fondo

Para Athlete Resources

  • There are no International Paralympic Committee classification standards for gravel biking. For our event, an eligible para athlete is anyone with a permanent disability. 

    There is a separate registration category in each distance for para athletes that provides additional questions so we can best support you! All participants who register in the para category will receive an email from Alison to further discuss event details.

    Para athletes can also register a support rider with no additional cost at registration. Para athletes desiring a support rider should email Alison at friendsoffocofondo@gmail.com for a 50% discount code .

  • Accessible parking available + volunteers to assist in getting equipment out of vehicles, if needed. Para athlete registrants will be asked about these needs when you sign-up through BikeReg.

  • Accessible toilets will be available at the main venue and at aid stations on course.

  • There are five course lengths: 12-, 32-, 60-, 100-, and 118-mile. Courses are mostly double track gravel roads, with some courses having short segments of single track. More specific information about course sections are pending. Please reach out with any questions you may have.

  • If using e-assist, know the range of your batteries and bring however many batteries are necessary to complete the course. As with all categories, each rider is responsible for bringing and carrying tools and spare equipment for their bike.

  • There will be an accessible toilet at aid stations and hospital chair to allow access for wheelchair users, if needed.

  • FoCo Fondo routes are not a closed course and are open to car traffic. To foster the safety of less visible riders, all three-wheeled bikes (i.e., handcycles) will be required to have flags on course. Bringing a support rider is encouraged to increase visibility to car traffic.

  • There will be podiums and awards for the para category in the 32-, 60-, 100-, and 118-mile distances.

    If we have enough participation in each category for sub-categories, these will be the additional award categories:

    • Visually impaired 

    • Trike (no assist) 

    • Trike (e–assist) 

    • Stand–up (no assist) 

    • Stand–up (e-assist) 

    Prizes will be awarded when a subcategory has at least two or more competitors. Answers when filling out registration will inform us as to which subcategory each athlete is in.

    Please reach out to Alison at friendsoffocofondo@gmail.com if you have questions around podiums and awards for para category. 

A group of nine smiling people gathered around a table in a restaurant, enjoying food and drinks. The group includes individuals in wheelchairs, and others are seated or standing, with a mix of casual clothing. The table has plates of food, glasses, and a water pitcher.

Meet Alison Rehfus

A woman wearing a bicycle helmet and rainbow sunglasses, smiling and sitting on a green recumbent bike at an outdoor cycling event.

Para Athlete Program Leader Alison Rehfus(she/her) is an adaptive athlete who loves gravel, road, and mountain biking and is passionate about using cycling to access places she otherwise couldn’t. After her first bike race as an adaptive athlete in 2024, she quickly fell in love with the community and camaraderie surrounding everything from local group rides to events like Foco Fondo. Outside of cycling, she loves pursuing many other adaptive sports and volunteers as an instructor for adaptive rowing and skiing. She is thrilled to help the para program continue to grow and hopes that Foco Fondo can help adaptive athletes feel safe and welcome while discovering or continuing to grow a love for bikes, adaptive sports, and community.

If you have questions for Alison, you can reach out at arehfus@me.com