The 2015 season is upon us. The UCI BMX Supercross World Cup serves as the main qualifying event for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, making 2015 an important year for BMX. Time to look into the full schedule of the SX races which will take us to England, the Netherlands, Sweden, Argentina and the USA.
The 2015 UCI BMX Supercross World Cup at a glance
Manchester The permanent indoor SX track at the British Cycling facility in Manchester once again hosts the first round of the UCI BMX Supercross World Cup. The atmosphere when the stands have filled up is incredible, and without distractions of wind, nor any possibility of rain, the racers have no excuses to hold back. However, the track is tight and technical, allowing no room for errors. This year the 3rd straight has been completely rebuilt and will challenge riders to the max. The pressure is on from the get-go and many countries have taken the opportunity over the winter to get some extra laps in on the track that has seen some changes on the third straight. Papendal With four years of experience organising a UCI BMX Supercross World Cup race, the Dutch crew is ready for number five. The Papendal SX track is considered one of the biggest and fastest in the world. Last year’s racing was tough on everyone with the strong wind and lots of rain, meaning teams had to be creative to keep the tires and grips dry till the last moment before lining up on the gate. In 2015, the UCI BMX Supercross World Cup is part of a major bicycle festival which will attract many cycling fans from all over the country to come to the Dutch Olympic Training Centre in Papendal. Angelholm New to the UCI BMX Supercross World Cup in 2015, the BMX arena in Angelholm, Sweden, has already received great reviews from top European riders. The arena hosted the 2013 European BMX Championships, and with some minor tweaking and updates it’s now ready to welcome the world’s top Elite racers. Who will win the first UCI BMX Supercross World Cup in Sweden at round three?
Santiago del Estero Favourite stop for many of the racers, because of a big, loud and very excited local crowd, the track in Argentina is wide open and has a good flow which gives the riders an opportunity to show what they're made of. Santiago del Estero received the title of “Best Event of 2014 UCI BMX Supercross World Cup” and they are ready to repeat that in 2015. It is the fourth stop on the calendar, which means that it's time for the riders to make a statement. Rock Hill, South Carolina It is no surprise that the brand new BMX facility in Rock Hill, South Carolina is on the programme for 2015. $7 million dollars were invested in making this permanent BMX facility a reality and it looks stunning with its permanent 8 and 5 metre starting hills, offices, bleachers, and asphalt pump track. Rock Hill will also host the 2017 UCI BMX World Championships but first it's time for the final round of the 2015 UCI BMX Supercross World Cup. Who will be crowned the champs in September? Time will tell.
Riders to watch
Last year's UCI BMX Supercross World Cup winner Liam Phillips (GB) is aiming for a 'three-peat' in Manchester. He has proved over the years that he's hard to beat on his home track but the competition will be fierce. Two time Olympic Gold medalist Maris Strombergs (LAT) will be focusing on the premiere BMX racing series in the world and everyone knows how strong the man from Latvia is. Add current UCI Men’s Elite World Champion Sam Willoughby (AUS) to the mix along with last year's second place finisher Anthony Dean, and Liam's win won't come easy.
Last year's UCI BMX Supercross World Cup winner Caroline Buchanan (AUS) won't give up her title easily in 2015 but can expect competition from Olympic Champion Mariana Pajon (COL) and Alise Post (USA). Post in particular has been winning many races in the pre-season and if she stays injury free, she will be putting her jumping skills into good use to score podium finishes at every stop. The pressure is on for everyone, excitement is in the air, it's time to drop that starting gate!
Tune in on BMXLive.tv
Since 2012, BMXLive.tv has been the source for live-streaming the UCI BMX Supercross World Cup. In between events, BMXLive.tv also offers original video content and archived race coverage. Audience figures are impressive, with 45,000 unique live viewers from 75 countries tuned in for each event. With its revamped design, BMXLive.tv will definitely be the place for fans to connect and share their passion for the sport.
The UCI BMX SX World Cup is sponsored by GoPro, Oakley, Tioga, Dan’s Comp, Clif Bar, Box Components, Pro-Gate and EliteTrax.
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