Dennis Connors of the United States leads the pack at the start of the men's T1-2 para cycle road race at the 2024 Paris Paralympics Sept. 7, 2024 in Clichy-sous-Bois, France. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)

CLICHY-SOUS-BOIS, France – Cyclists have a term called “sad climbing.” It means to take inclines at their own pace instead of trying to match others.

Dennis Connors lived that during the men’s T1-2 road race on Saturday afternoon at the 2024 Paris Paralympics.

The 42.6-kilometer course consisted of three 14.2-kilometer laps with hill portions of 1 kilometer at 4.5% and 850 meters at 4.7%.

The Marine veteran anticipated struggling to drag his 6-foot frame over the hills on his tricycle. So he and his coach devised a plan to let his competitors blow past him before he caught up on the flats and declines.

The plan worked almost to perfection. Connors was dropped four times, coming back three times to the leading group and the last time to the chasing group before sprinting to a second-place finish in Clichy-sous-Bois, France.

“I planned on getting dropped,” said Connors, who crossed the line in 1 hour, 17 minutes and 9 seconds. “It wasn’t like getting dropped painfully. I just sad-climbed, climbed them at my own pace and conserved energy so that I had enough to go on that last climb.”

The silver medal was Connors’ first in his Paralympics debut. The former intelligence officer was the defending world champion in the event.

China’s Chen Jianxin flew the coup the last time Connors was dropped to win the event in 1:15.08.

Connors, who suffered multiple traumatic brain injuries during three tours in Iraq that caused ataxia – which affects his ability to comprehend space and his place in it – and two strokes that left him partially paralyzed on his left side, was emotional when he received his medal.

“It’s a sign of sacrifice,” Connors said of the silver hanging around his neck. “It makes me really proud to wear it. So many people have sacrificed, not just me.

“I did this for my family, who sacrificed so much. Did it for all the vets … all the guys who aren’t here, it’s also for them.”

Dennis Connors of the United States clutches his silver medal he won in the men's T1-2 para cycle road race at the 2024 Paris Paralympics Sept. 7, 2024 in Clichy-sous-Bois, France. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)

Dennis Connors of the United States takes a corner as he tries to catch up to the leaders in the men's T1-2 para cycle road race at the 2024 Paris Paralympics Sept. 7, 2024 in Clichy-sous-Bois, France. He succeded and took the silver medal in the race. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)

In the final kilometer, Connors found himself third in a group of four with Columbia’s Juan Jose Betancourt Quiroga, Germany’s Maximilian Jaeger and Austria’s Wolfgang Steinbichler.

Knowing his sprinting strength, Connors stayed patient while the other three tried to make their moves. The Livermore, Calif., native jumped onto the wheels each time before seeing his opportunity to beat them down the home stretch.

Betancourt Quiroga and Jaeger came in at the same time at Connors in third and fourth place, respectively.

Connors’ final effort completed a comeback in which he was 21 seconds out of medal contention at the start of the lap.

“I’ve gone too early too many times and have been beaten,” Connors said. “When I saw them go, I just had to stay on the wheel. I saw the hole that I needed and took it.”

Looking ahead, Connors has the chance for a true homecoming in four years’ time.

The Beaverton, Ore., resident said most of his family is from Southern California with Los Angeles as the host of the next Summer Games.

Connors had 14 members of his family cheering him on in France on Saturday. That number could be much larger in 2028.

“LA is going to be a big deal,” Connors said. “All my family’s in LA, so it will be a huge crowd, and I’d love to represent my country again if I can.”