By Raul Menchaca
HAVANA, Dec. 9 (Xinhua) -- Jorge Luis Gonzalez, it's safe to say, is an overachiever. After losing his left leg in a traffic accident, he went on to become a competitive cyclist.
With that same vivacious spirit, Gonzalez pitched in to help the victims of Hurricane Michelle, which claimed five lives and drove 700,000 people from their homes in late 2001.
Trained as an industrial engineer at the University of Matanzas, Gonzalez joined the brigades of volunteers helping to clean up hard-hit communities south of Matanzas city.
Afterwards, as he was heading back home to Matanzas, the bus he was traveling on veered out of control at a curve and turned over. Both his legs were injured, but the left leg was trapped, cutting off circulation and forcing doctors to amputate.
"I really liked marathons, but after I lost my leg I had no choice but to switch to another sport, and cycling was the one I chose because I always liked it a lot," the 54-year-old said as he readied for a bicycle race.
Each year, Gonzalez takes part in the classic "Excellencies of the Motor" bike race sponsored by the Spanish car magazine of the same name. The race features two categories: competitors over the age of 50, who ride 130 kilometers, and those under 50, who bike 200 kilometers.
The route takes racers from the outskirts of Havana to the western city of Pinar del Rio. In the over-50 category, everyone who completes the race in under six hours is considered a winner.
Last year, Gonzalez surprised everyone by completing the race in five hours and 57 minutes, becoming the first racer with a disability to climb the podium. He admits the outcome surprised him as well.
The father of four trains hard before each race, cycling between 60 and 70 kilometers a day. But after losing his leg, he had to learn to ride all over again, first to achieve balance, then to pedal with one leg.
Gonzalez -- inspired by Canadian Terry Fox, who lost a leg to cancer, then ran more than 5,300 kilometers to raise awareness about the disease -- has earned the respect of his rivals and the admiration of his fans.
Almost 300 cyclists, both men and women, including Cuba's national team, participate in the annual Excellencies race.
Cycling is a popular pastime on the island, especially in the countryside, where it is also an important means of transportation.
