“I cannot predict anything for sure, but if you ask me right now, ‘Alex, do you see yourself carrying on until Rio de Janeiro?’ the answer is immediately ‘Yes.’”

One of the most iconic images from the London 2012 Paralympic Games was when Italy’s Alex Zanardi raised his handcycle above his head after winning gold medals in the time trial and road race H4 events at Brands Hatch – 21 years after racing there as a Formula 3000 driver.

Zanardi will be back in action on the international stage when the 2013 UCI Para-Cycling Road World Cup begins on Friday (7 June) in Merano and Marlengo, Italy.

It’s the first of three World Cup events prior to this year’s Para-Cycling Road World Championships, which take place from 28 August-1 September in Baie Comeau, Canada.

Embarking on another Paralympic cycle

Despite being 47 years old now, Zanardi insists London 2012 was not his peak.

In fact, the day after returning home from the Games, he jumped on his handcycle to ride 120km through the Italian countryside. He then spent the winter months cross-country skiing and handcycling indoors.

“I’m like a good Italian red wine that gets better with age,” Zanardi joked.

“I cannot predict anything for sure, but if you ask me right now, ‘Alex, do you see yourself carrying on until Rio de Janeiro?’ the answer is immediately ‘Yes.’”

‘I’m not any weaker than last year’

In April, Zanardi took first place in both the time trial and road race at the Greenville Para-Cycling Open in the USA – which proved a healthy tune-up for his 2013 campaign.

Entering this week’s races, he is second on the H4 world ranking list behind Tim de Vries of the Netherlands.

“I’m not any weaker than last year,” Zanardi said.

“I know that technically speaking I’m capable of winning. I proved that in London last year. I’m no longer somebody that will just do well. I now believe I’m one of the main contenders to win every weekend I race.”

But will the laid-back Italian speedster be able to keep up his current stamina for another four-year period?

“In terms of motivation, I have no doubt in my mind that I can still rock Rio de Janeiro,” Zanardi said. “My physical condition will be good enough to challenge my opponents in the same way I did in London.

“But I didn’t jump on the bicycle because I wanted to win a medal in London. I won a medal in London because I wanted the world to see me step into a bicycle.”