CYCLING - BMX: The Australian Cycling Team has been announced for the 2017 UCI Urban World Championships to be held in China from November 8-12.
The inaugural Urban Worlds will feature three disciplines, two mountain bike events in the Eliminator and Trials (which have traditionally been held during a Mountain Bike World Championship), and BMX Freestyle which makes its debut as a World Championship event.
BMX Freestyle Park is an exhilarating form of cycling which sees cyclists perform a series of tricks during their ‘run’ across ramp-filled course. Riders’ tricks are judged based on difficulty, originality, style and execution. (UCI HIstory of BMX Freestyle)
The battle for the first-ever rainbow jersey in BMX Freestyle is the first jump in a three-year run towards Olympic glory, with the IOC announcing in June the sport would feature in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in addition to BMX Supercross.
Australia boasts two of the world's best BMX freestylers in Logan Martin and Brandon Loupos, with the pair considered to be serious medal contenders at both the upcoming World Championships and at Tokyo in 2020.
Gold Coast’s Martin, the two-time reigning International Festival of Extreme Sports (FISE) World Series champion currently sits fourth overall in 2017 after winning ‘Stop 1’ in France last May. Martin will line up in the final 2017 World Series Stop in China next week prior to taking a shot at the world title.
“To be riding an event, doing a sport I love and doing it for a country I love is insane, I can’t wait!” said Martin, 23, who welcomes the sport’s introduction to the World Championship and Olympic level. “For me, (to have) more events, the better. It just makes it that much cooler that the scale of this event is so big.
“I think it’s great for the sport, it puts BMX Freestyle in front of millions of viewers, it’s going to make more people want to ride bikes and follow the sport.
“And the Olympics, it’s the biggest stage of them all, what could be bad about that!”
Joining Martin on the inaugural team is Sydney’s Loupos, who earlier in 2017 took out Stop 2 in the FISE World Series and heads into the final Stop in second overall on the rankings.
“It has always been a dream to represent Australia but I never thought it would be something there for us to fight for, but now it is,” said Loupos, who could take the overall World Series win with victory in the final event next week.
“It is definitely is a crazy feeling to know it has reached this level and I think whoever wins that rainbow jersey is going to be a happy man.”
In the Trials event, a non-Olympic discipline of mountain biking where riders attempt to pass through an obstacle course without setting foot to ground, Australia will be represented by 2015 world champion Janine Jungfels (QLD) and Nathan Mummery (NSW).
“My goal is to be on the top step in China, that’s what I train for all year,” said Jungfels, who has two podium appearances during the 2017 World Cup season. “In order to get on the top step, I need to be on my 'A-game' both mentally and physically.
“Regardless of whether you’re a world champion or not, every year it is a similar challenge, new sections, different location, and the winner is the person who can adapt and perform the best.
“I’m nervous and excited, but a world championships is always nerve wracking but that is part of the fun of competing.”
Australian Cycling Team - 2017 UCI Urban World Championships
BMX Freestyle
- Logan Martin, 23 (QLD) 2015 and 2016 World Series Champion
- Brandon Loupos (NSW) 2017 World Series ‘Stop 2’ winner
- Vince Byron (QLD) – 2017 X Games gold medallist Vert
- Kyle Baldock (QLD) – 2017 winner Dave Mirra ‘Best Trick’
- Tristan Aarts (QLD)
- Jake Wallwork (VIC)
- Jakeb Dugdell – (QLD) Under 19
- Alec Danelutti (VIC) - Under 19
- Rylan Kindness (QLD) - Under 19
MTB Trials
- Janine Jungfels (QLD) 2015 world champion
- Nathan Mummery (NSW)
Amy McCann
Cycling Australia
