BMX RACING

Toughness and top speeds will be tested as riders clash in sprint races made for the fearless

The goal of BMX Racing is simple: cross the finish line first. But that’s easier said than done with eight riders and a complex course of high-speed curves, big bumps and giant jumps.

The single lap 400m course at the Glasgow BMX Centre has been built to test the top speeds and track skills of the world’s best BMX Racers.

Four riders make it to the next phase:

• In Round 1, the top four finishers progress to Qualifying

• The non-qualified riders get a second chance through the Last Chance Qualifer (LCQ).

• From each heat, the top two finishers transfer to Qualifying.

• In Qualifying, the top four riders from each Quarter Final heat progress to the Semi Final. The top four finishes from the Semi Final go to the Final.

Races happen in 30-40-second sprints of acceleration, adrenaline, close calls and collisions. The start ramp is 8m high. That first drop is how riders reach speeds of between 50 to 60kmph as they reach the bottom of the start ramp.

Riders have to be bold to win gold. It’s edge-of-your-saddle stuff that’ll captivate crowds from start to finish.

RIDER TO WATCH Mariana Pajón (COL)

Known as ‘The Queen of BMX’, all eyes will be on the Colombian racer as she seeks to add to her string of 18 UCI World Ttitles which began at the age of 9 when she competed in Challenge Class. Now 31, and a triple Olympic medallist, Mariana also holds a Guinness World Record. Instagram @marianapajon

WHERE Glasgow BMX Centre, Glasgow G13 3LS

6 - 9 August: Challenge Event

12 August: All categories (Qualifiers) Junior, Under 23 and Elite (Last 32)

13 August: Junior, Under 23 and Elite Quarter Finals, Semi Finals and Finals

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Racing Roots

The origins of BMX Racing go back to the 1950s in the Netherlands. But BMX Racing as we know it today was invented in Los Angeles in 1969.

Young Things

BMX racing was hugely popular with kids who couldn’t legally ride motorcycles, but still wanted to race. The first iteration of the sport emulated motorcycle racing. That’s also where the name comes from: BMX stands for bicycle motocross.

The Bike

The original of the three types of BMX Racing bike, the racing bike usually has 20-inch wheels, narrow tyres, upright handlebars with crossbars, small saddles, long cranks and rear hand brakes. The frames are light and sturdy – the lighter they are, the faster they go!

Uci Bmx Racing World Challenge

The UCI BMX Racing World Challenge showcases talent and provides a nail-biting finish across the line. This event has multiple age group categories, with both women and men riders as young as 8, up to Masters, with the senior categories racing in womens over 25, and mens over 35 categories.

Also on show are the Cruiser categories for riders of bicycles with 24-inch wheels. Many of the Cruiser riders will also compete in the standard categories, where the bicycles have a 20-inch wheel, meaning these riders will race over 2 days and compete in up to 14 races while at the Glasgow BMX Racing Centre in Knightswood.

Riders from around the world have qualified to compete in this adrenaline filled UCI BMX Racing World Challenge, fierce competition will be taking place over the same course as the UCI BMX Racing World Championships.

Mapei has always been close to the world of sport: a passion that started and continues with cycling and other sports. Mapei supplies products for building projects and sports arenas all around the world, guaranteeing reliability, safety and long-lasting durability.

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