About BMX Racing
BMX means bicycle motocross; the bicycles are designed, for off-road cycling. BMX racing is a sprint race in an off-road track filled with jumps, bends and straight-line tracks. It is a contact sport as the riders try to fend off competitors and sprints first to finish the race.
The focus of the riders is on speed and their ability to clear the bends and bumps maintaining the speed. This is a fast-paced sport where only fast and agile riders compete.
The course of BMX racing is 400m long and the rider finishing the race first is declared as the winner. Two medals are associated with this sport in Olympics one for men and other for women.
Both men and women BMX racing events made their appearance at the Beijing Olympics in 2008. They have been part of the Olympics since then.
Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) is the governing body of this sport. They formulate rules and maintain the specifications of the bicycles and organise this sport at different sporting arena based on their sporting calendar.
BMX Racing Olympic 2020 logo : 
History
Riders loved to race their bicycles off the dirt roads and enjoy the thrill. With the advancement of technology, off-road bikes became more durable and tough, providing a boost to BMX racing.
By the late 1960s and the beginning of the 1970s saw an increase in popularity of this sport in small pockets of rugged regions of California. It was at the beginning of 1980s, this sport attained its popularity with the establishment of BMX federation.
BMX federation was later integrated into Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) in the year 1993, and this organisation is the governing body of this sport.
Objective
The objective of BMX racing is to sprint the cycle fast enough surpassing the obstacles and bends reaching the finish line first. The rider crossing the finish line first is declared as the winner.
It is a contact sport where eight riders ride across a 4.6m wide track, and they often bump into each other thus crashing out of the race. The rider needs to maintain speed and attain a leading position and maintain that position throughout the race.
Equipments
A BMX bike is the main sporting equipment used by the rider. The BMX bikes are light and have just the rear brake. The handles are straight to allow the riders with more grip and control.
Bikes have 20-inch diameter tyres in both front and rear, they have a short wheel circumference to gain acceleration rapidly, and do not have any gear mechanism.
The bikes should have paddles and the rear wheel attached to a chain.
The front-wheel shall be steerable; the rear wheel should be driven through a system comprising pedals, a crank-set and a chain, without electric or other assistance.
Fixed gear bicycles are not permitted. The bikes should not have any sharp protruding object that could harm the rider.
Race Course
The racecourse has a length of, 400m and starts with a drop 8m high tilted at an angle of 35 degrees. Eight riders start the race in eight lanes when the stop gate opens. The rider sprints hard along the slope to attain momentum to traverse ahead of competitors within a track that is 4.6m wide.
The strategy is to sprint hard, with minimum elevation attained through the bumps as these wastes precious time. The racecourse has sharp bends and bumps that the rider needs to negotiate effectively maintaining balance along with speed.
About The Race
The riders are individually provided, a single run of the racecourse to list their time trial. This time is then, used in formulating the groups of eight riders.
Top two riders proceed to the next round depending upon the number of participating riders. The final group of eight riders are attained based on their performances that form the final racing group.
In Tokyo Olympics 2020, there would not be individual time trials for the individual riders. Twenty four riders would compete in four heats, with top sixteen riders proceeding to the semi-final, and then the top eight would be competing on the finals based on their semi-finals timings.
Safety Equipments
BMX Racing is a contact sport that is run at a high speed. Riders can attain a speed of 65 km/h by sprinting their bikes hard along the track. This results in crashing among the eight racing riders. So safety is of paramount importance in this sport.
Crash Helmets: Wearing helmets is a mandatory requirement for a rider. Helmets should be worn by the rider at all times during riding, whether during competition warm-ups or practice.
Clothing: The rider should not wear loose clothing that could be tangled, in the rider cycle. They should wear comfortable clothing that should not display any offensive message or image that spoils the spirit of the sport.
Eye Gear: Wearing eye gear to protect their eyes is mandatory for the riders.
Racing gloves: Gloves are mandatory for a rider to protect the fingertips of the rider.
Visual Identification: The riders should always wear the visual identification sign provided by the organiser.
Sports Officials
The following officials keep a strict eye on the performance of the participants.
Commissaire: The Commissaire is the official responsible for controlling the sporting aspect of the competition. They are appointed by UCI.
Race Officials: The Race Officials appointed by the president of Commissaire is solely responsible for checking the conduct of riders. if the conduct does not adhere to the spirit of the game, then a penalty is imposed on them. They also confirm that the riders adhere to, the racing regulations.
Doctor: BMX racing is a contact sport, and a doctor is mandatory for treating any rider crash landing, in need of immediate medical attention.
Terms Associated With Sport
BMX Racing has many terms associated with the sport. Here are some of the important terms:
Start gate: This is the starting point of the race. The race starts with the opening of the gate at the starting point of the hill. The riders sprint hard downhill to gain momentum.
Step-up: This jump happens when the landing point is at a higher elevation than the take-off point.
Berms: Berms refer to the turns present at an angle. This allows riders to turn their bikes without applying brakes.
Double: A double is two hills close enough to each other.
Step-down: This jump is one where the landing point is at a lower elevation than the take-off point.
Roller: These are small bumps that cannot be jumped off. They are built to test the riders ability to maintain balance with speed.
Tabletop: A tabletop is a jump where the track is level across between the take-off and landing points.
Rules Of BMX Racing
- The riders participating in the elite sport should be above 19 years of age.
- The participating riders should be registered by the UCI.
- The racing bikes should not have chain guards, side stands, mudguards or any sharp and protruding objects.
- In case a rider falls, they can rejoin the race by picking up their bike without any external help.
- The rider who finishes the race first is declared, as the winner.
- Intentional foul or hurting other rider is considered, as diminishing the spirit of the sport and hence prohibited.
- Consumption of any drugs or enhancers is strictly prohibited.
World Rankings
- Mens BMX Racing
- Connor Fields
- Corben Sarrah
- Sylvain Andre
- Womens BMX Racing
- Alise Willoughby
- Mariana Pajon
- Felicia Stancil
(2 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)