Ex-race car driver Zanardi wins gold in handcycle

LONDON – Former Formula One driver Alex Zanardi of Italy has won the gold medal in the 16-kilometer (10-mile) handcycling time trial at the 2012 London Paralympics.

The two-time CART champion who lost both legs in 2001 race car crash in Germany posted a time of 24 minutes, 50.22 seconds.

German Norbert Mossandl took silver with a time of 25 minutes, 17.40 seconds.

Beijing gold medal winner Oscar Sanchez of the United States, a former U.S. Marine who injured his spinal cord in a hit-and-run motorcycle accident in 2001, finished in third in 25 minutes, 35.36 seconds.

Powered by the arms, a hand cycle has two coasting rear wheels and one steerable front wheel.