Velodrome tandem cycling at speeds in excess of 60 kilometres per hour demands absolute trust between the cyclists. British Para cycling duo James Ball and Steffan Lloyd are among the favourites for medals atthe Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. However, only they know how hard they train to get where they go.

In a recent interview with the Mirror, the pair talked about what it means to push the limits on a tandem bike and the trust required between them. A visually impaired 'stoker' provides the power from behind to propel the pair forward. However, this relies on the excellent work of their partner. The second Para cyclist pedals in front, guided around the velodrome track at breathtaking speed by a sighted pilot.Success would be impossible without trust, communication, hours of training and a determination to overcome challenges.

"James knows instinctively what I'm going to do on the track and we've become good friends. We have the same sense of humour, the same interests and I know I've gained a great friend and a lot of potential medals," Lloyd told the Mirror.

They are one of the favourites to win the Paralympic Games. Ball began his sporting career as a sprinter and was previously a swimmer. He switched to cycling after narrowly missing out on the London 2012 Paralympic Games due to an injury that prevented him from reaching his full potential. He turned his life around and everything fell into place as Ball won Paralympic silver on his Tokyo 2020 debut, covering a kilometre in 59.503 seconds.

"I try to be as smooth as possible while Stef controls the front. When we take the corners at high speed, we want to be as synchronised as possible and we want every training session to be like that," Ball explained. These words really capture what it means to ride a tandem and compete at such a high level in a discipline that requires both trust and strength.

Stability and speed are equally important in this discipline. The key is to train, refine and master the movements of each partner on the tandem. The British pair suffered an accident in 2023. This temporarily halted their ambitions. They were unable to train together for a while because Ball was injured and had to stop.

"I found it very difficult to get back on the bike and fully commit to all the efforts we were making," said Ball. That setback undoubtedly complicated matters, but they managed to overcome the difficult situation and return to the track.

UK Sport's World Class programme represents a significant investment. Ball and Lloyd are part of a privileged group of athletes whose sporting journey is funded by the National Lottery, allowing them to focus on training and competing without having to worry about anything other than getting better. With this support, the road to Paris 2024 was made easier for Olympic athletes, as it is now for Paralympians.

Ball added, "We have such a huge support network to help us, great coaches, good medical staff and everything we need. It wouldn't be possible without the National Lottery.

The duo will compete in the Tandem Kilo event. This is one of the most exciting and challenging races in Para cycling. It's a time trial of four laps around the track. James Ball is currently an experienced Paralympian. He has won multiple world titles and Commonwealth medals in the Tandem Kilo and Sprint events, as well as a silver medal at Tokyo 2020.

His pilot, Steff Lloyd, will start cycling in 2019 and has been selected for the Welsh team until 2021. He has competed at the Commonwealth Games and World Championships. The 2022 Para Cycling World Championships in Paris marked the debut of Steff and James as a pair. They won the world title in the tandem team sprint, as well as silver in the kilo and bronze in the sprint.

Now they return to the Saint-Quentin velodrome for the Paralympic Games. Their rivalry will be in the kilo event. They will be up against the other British pair, Matt Rotherham and Neil Fachie, the reigning Paralympic champions.