UCI BMX Racing World Cup: Two first-time Men Elite winners in Papendal

First wins for Bearman and Cullen

The UCI BMX Racing World Cup returned to Papendal, Netherlands, for the 13th time across the weekend of 21 and 22 June. With 334 competitors lined up, rounds 3 and 4 of this year’s UCI World Cup were the biggest ever held at the legendary Gelderland location. They were the final European rounds of 2025 before September’s double-header showdown in Santiago del Estero, Argentina, which will decide the overall titles in all four categories.

While the Women Elite competition saw Laura Smulders (NED) and Bethany Shriever (GBR) each add another victory to their UCI World Cup successes, New Zealander Rico Bearman and British rider Ross Cullen both took their first ever Elite UCI World Cup wins.

Women Elite: Smulders and Shriever show the way

In Saturday’s stacked Women Elite final, Laura Smulders (NED) showed she’s still got it, claiming her 28th UCI BMX Racing World Cup win in front of her home crowd. In second place, Australia’s reigning Olympic Champion Saya Sakakibara strengthened her UCI World Cup lead, and got to wear the red plate of UCI World Cup leader heading into Sunday’s race. European Champion Zoe Claessens, of Switzerland, finished third.

In Sunday’s competition, nearly all the top contenders advanced to the semi-finals. All attention turned to Smulders, in expectation of a historic 29th UCI World Cup victory, but it was Bethany Shriever who stole the spotlight. Delivering blazing lap times all day, Great Britain’s Tokyo 2020 Olympic Champion dominated the final from the gate drop.

Sakakibara continued her solid campaign with another second-place finish, while Canada’s Molly Simpson rounded out the podium in third.

Men Elite: first wins for Bearman and Cullen

Saturday’s Men Elite final was nothing short of spectacular. Izaac Kennedy (AUS) and Jaymio Brink (NED) were leading the race when both went down with several other riders in the last turn.

New Zealand’s Rico Bearman, who had entered the last turn in 6th position, grabbed the opportunity and crossed the finish line in first to take his first ever Elite UCI World Cup win. Mitchel Schotman (NED) went from 7th to second and Sylvain André (FRA) managed to recover from the crash and get going to take the final podium spot.

It all had quite an effect on the overall standings… André had recently claimed the UCI World Cup series red leader plate from fellow Frenchman Arthur Pilard. Kennedy held onto third overall after Round 3, but the crash forced him to sit out Round 4. Bearman catapulted 25 spots up to fifth place and Schotman climbed from 31st to seventh. However, fortunes can flip fast, and both Bearman and Schotman were eliminated in Round 4’s quarter-finals on Sunday.

Sunday’s final saw a career highlight for Ross Cullen, who secured his first-ever UCI World Cup victory, an emotional moment for the British rider. The USA’s Cameron Wood took second, while André claimed another podium finish in Papendal.

Women Under 23: Wissing masterclass

The Dutch crowds had plenty to celebrate during the Women Under 23 racing on Saturday when Michelle Wissing showed her form with her third successive UCI World Cup victory followed by another Dutch rider Renske van Santvoort. New Zealand’s Lily Greenough was close behind in third.

Could Wissing make it four out of four on Sunday? Wissing and Van Santvoort once again showed their form by winning their respective quarter-finals, keeping their ambitions alive. An unexpected rain shower briefly rolled over Papendal, cooling the air and changing the track conditions from dry to slippery. But when the sun returned in time for the finals, Wissing extended her unbeaten streak to four, with Van Santvoort finishing second again. Ecuador’s Domenica Gissell Mora Cordero celebrated her first UCI World Cup podium with a third-place finish.

Men Under 23: double Dutch?

Winning on home soil is special for every athlete and Jason Noordam lined up in Papendal with plenty of expectations from his home crowd, having won both rounds at the opening weekend of the 2025 season in Sarrians, France. He lived up to the pressure - holding off his countryman Casper Pipers to win round 3, while Mathis Jacquet (FRA) finished third.

But the Dutch rider’s winning streak was broken in Sunday’s round 4. In the final, former UCI World Champion Joshua Jolly, of Australia, faced stiff competition from the leading Dutch pair, but powered Men Under 23: double Dutch?