The 2026 UCI BMX Racing World Cup continues in China this weekend with the seventh and eighth rounds of the series, on 10 and 11 October, taking place at the Chongli Cycling Extreme Sports Park in Zhangjiakou, Hebei province.
The series made its first ever visit to China last weekend in Mentougou, Beijing. Riders will now head to a new venue some 200 kilometres from the capital, where two days of racing could well shake up the overall standings.
A total of 178 riders from 26 nations are entered across the four categories on offer in the Men Elite, Women Elite, Men Under 23 and Women Under 23 categories. The stakes are particularly high as these Chinese rounds come after the start of the qualification period for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, with just one UCI World Cup weekend left after Chongli to round off the 2026 UCI BMX Racing World Cup season.
This marks the first time that Chongli has hosted a round of the series. Surrounded by the Yan Mountains, the district welcomed events of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games and now joins the international BMX Racing circuit.
A rebuilt track with an unusual layout
Built in 2018, the Chongli track has since been redesigned for the 2026 UCI BMX Racing World Cup. Designed by Damien Godet (DIG Tracks) and built by Mickaël Le Cann (BMX EXPERIENCE), it measures 450 metres and combines technical sections with stretches suited to high speed.
The first straight measures 85 metres and leads into the first right-hand bend. The track features four straights and three bends. Its most distinctive feature is the placement of the pro section in the third straight rather than the second, as is typically the case. This configuration will influence race tactics, overtaking opportunities through the rhythm second straight section, which will see a very different approach of riders as they start each lap.
The track offers two starting hills, one 5 metres high on the inside and the second at 8 metres high, with the latter used for the UCI BMX Racing World Cup. The straights are surfaced with a PVA slurry mix, designed to allow racing in all weather conditions, while the bends are asphalt.
As in Mentougou, no rider will have had the benefit of regular training on the track. Practice sessions will therefore be crucial, as will starts and positioning through the first bend.
Standings set to shift
The Mentougou rounds produced some landmark results. The Netherlands' Laura Smulders claimed her 30th UCI BMX Racing World Cup victory, while Australia's Joshua Jolly took his first UCI World Cup win in the Men Elite category.
The Chinese rounds have also left their mark on the standings. American Cameron Wood, second in the Men Elite UCI BMX Racing World Cup standings heading into Mentougou, has since dropped to third and will not race in Chongli. Britain's Kye White and the Netherlands' Tim Goossens have withdrawn to recover from injuries.
These absences open the door for other riders to gain ground in the standings. Across all four categories, consistency across both days in Chongli will be essential for arriving at the end-of-month finale in a strong position.
Final rounds in the United States
After Chongli, the series will conclude in Sarasota, Florida, United States, with the ninth and tenth rounds taking place on 31 October and 1 November, at which point the UCI BMX Racing World Cup overall winners will be known. What happens in China will determine who arrives at the American finale with momentum, and who will need to chase.