Merel Smulders, Niels Bensink and Manon Veenstra competing at Red Bull UCI Pump Track World Championships this Sunday
Pump track has been under the UCI flag since 2019. This means that the winner of this weekend can wear the well-known rainbow jersey for a year. Pump tracks are becoming increasingly popular and are popping up like mushrooms, there are already 39 tracks in the Netherlands. A month ago, the riders were able to qualify for the World Championships during the preliminary round in Eindhoven. Here, among others, well-known BMX star Merel Smulders has managed to get a ticket to Portugal.
The World Championship
This year's World Championship is in the town of Parque das Naçõe in Lisbon. Participants from more than 25 different countries participate in this. The competition starts with the preliminary rounds, from which the 16 fastest riders follow, who will compete against each other in the knock-outs. In the end, the best two remain and they face each other in the final. During the final, it is determined who can ride in the rainbow jersey for a year.
Winners Dutch qualifiers
The best 4 riders of the Dutch qualifier of both men and women have qualified for the World Championship. This year Olympic medalist Merel Smulders came first in the women's competition and Frenchman Eddy Clerté in the men's race. Last year Niels Bensink took the first prize. He won with his girlfriend Drew Mechielsen, who also took first place. In 2020, a wildcard was awarded to Manon Veenstra. Due to the Corona measures last year, the 2020 World Championship was canceled and the
Red Bull UCI Pump Track World Championships Lisbon CityTour by Velosolutions
Claudio Caluori explores the city of Lisbon with Eddy Clerte, Niels Bensink Tommy Zula, Payton Ridenour and Drew Mechielsen as we hit day 2 in Road to Lisbon series and head closer to the World Final on Sunday for the Red Bull UCI Pump Track World Championships!
Red Bull UCI Pump Track World Championships 2021 - Lisbon by Velosolutions
The Red Bull UCI Pump Track World Championships heads to Lisbon, Portugal on the weekend of 15 to 17 October 2021. We catch up with Tommy Zula, Eddy Clerte, Niels Bensink, Payton Ridenour and Drew Mechielsen.
BikeCheck: Niels Bensink's OS20 Red Bull UCI Pumptrack World Championships edition
Who isn’t intrigued by the good old days? The KTM 250cc 1981 edition was the fastest stock dirt bike built to many at the time. My dad used to own and race one in the early 80’s and can confirm it was a beast. A good reason for me to replicate this iconic bike in honour of my dad’s career and the path that it lead us to. A cool extra is that it resembles the Dutch colours like no other which makes it a perfect build for this years Red Bull UCI Pumptrack World Championships in Lisbon, Portugal. With a couple special paint features I got to give it my own little twist as well.
It is not just a regular BMX build. I will be racing an OS20 (22’’) BMX in a regular 20 inch XXXL HSX
Interview Red Bull UCI Pump Track World Champ Payton 'P-Nut' Ridenour
Name: Payton 'P-Nut' Ridenour
Age: 19
Hometown: Pottstown, Pennsylvania
Sponsors: Mongoose, WD-40, Shimano, FLY, EVS, E6, Socksmith, Oakley, Tioga, ODI, HRP Designs, Potter Racing, Answer, Onyx
What has the UCI Pump Track World Champion title meant to you since you got it?
Payton Ridenour: It was a dream come true to win the first ever rainbow jersey given out for pump track! I think it's every cyclist's goal to win a world championship title, so to win the entire event was incredible.
Is it fair to say that BMX Racing comes first for you followed by riding Pump Track?
Payton Ridenour: Yes, BMX racing comes first for me and then pump track. It's really convenient that I can transition so easily from racing to pump track too. I train specifically for racing and that transfers right over to the pump track, and my bike set up is the exact same for both.
Leading up to the Red Bull UCI Pump Track World Championships in Lisbon, Portugal, have you ridden more pump tracks lately?
Results Swiss Pump Track World Championships qualifier, Rollsportpark Schüpfheim.
The last of Velosolution's RED BULL UCI Pump Track qualifiers took place in Switzerland. That leaves one last chance to qualify on October 16th, the day before the 2021 Red Bull UCI Pump Track World Champs in Lisbon on the same pump track. A small mistake in the Big Final, saw Nadine Aeberhard lose out on that World Final ticket to Christa Von Nierderhausern. Nadine, number 2 from 2019, and Christa brings a number 1 from 2018 and a number 3 finish from the 2019 World Final. High level racers come out of Switzerland.
A close top 4 in the Men's Category but Tristan Borel, number 2 from 2019, remained unbeatable on race day. A 2nd place for French rider Axel Jondeauu in a close battle till the end.
Results:
Women:
1. Christa von Niederhaeusern
Red Bull UCI Pump track World Championships 2021 - BMX - by Ronny King FPV
When I first got into FPV, one of my lofty goals was to one day get a call from a brand like Red Bull to ask me to fly for them for a commercial or an event like this... 2 years later, this actually happened. I'm having trouble expressing how much of a life achievement this was for me. Being validated by the brands that you looked up to for the better part of your professional career. This is HUGE for me.
Tight racing and good vibes at the UCI Pump Track World Champs Qualifier in Jössefors, SWE.
It was on the brand new track in Jössefors, Arvika, that the Swedish round of the Red Bull UCI Pump Track World Championship Qualifier race was decided last Sunday the 19th of September. 25 excited and eager racers battled it out for the prestigious win and the opportunity to go to the big final in Lisbon in October. It was a heater of a race with plenty of fast racers from an astonishing five different countries, pushing the level of riding through the roof - the final rounds of the competition so tight and intense it kept both racers and the crowd on their toes. In the end, it was Swedish BMX racer Oskar Kindblom and Latvian BMX racer Vineta Pētersone who kept it consistently pinned and grabbed the top step of the podium.
Showtime! Airbag set-up at Red Bull UCI Pump Track World's qualifier.
A bunch of Freestyle riders made it to Eindhoven last weekend as a loose competition was happening on the BigAirBag. It more or less was a free session for entertainment and practically anyone could join the session to see what it's like to jump an airbag set-up. Pim v.d. Bos had built the take-off and Nicky v.d. Veen makes sure the BigAirBag is working. It's good news BMX-ers stay involved in a different shape or form to further develop BMX. The riders were stoked with the soft(er) landing and the Pump Track event had a way of entertainment and participation. When the session was done and dusted it was up to Daniel Wedemeijer, Nick van der Veen and Levi Weidmann to throw down some real tricks on the set-up. The crowd got to see 360-backflips, fronties, turndown flips etc. from Daniel, flipwhips, flips, 3-inverts from Nicky, and 720-s, 360 bar-to bar and flips from Levi.
The session afterwards continued with Sem Kok sending 360 turndowns to the moon, Denz van Laare flipping gaps for the first time and others simply sending it until the airbag was unplugged. Only Dennis Keunen would have sent it at that point but he was not there.
We posted some pics on our Instagram account (@fatbmx) but had some more photos left that we did not want to go to waste. Enjoy.
BdJ
Merel Smulders and Eddy Clerté grab the ticket to Red Bull UCI Pumptrack World Championships Final
Today the Urban Sportpark in Eindhoven was all about Red Bull UCI Pump Track. The race has recently come under the UCI flag. This allows the winner of the World Final to wear the rainbow jersey for a year. This year, the women's Olympic medal winner Merel Smulders won gold. Frenchman Eddy Clerté won gold in the men's race. Red Bull UCI Pump Track is a unique competition because different cycling disciplines come together. For example, MTB riders cycled against BMX riders and freestylers took part in the Pump Track and vice versa.
The winners: The top four of both the men's and women's have qualified for Red Bull UCI Pumptrack World Championships Final. The following riders have qualified:
Men
1. Eddy Clerté
2. Max van Eijndhoven
After doing a BMX 'zine for ten years (1987 - 1996) FATBMX made it on the internet. The year was 1998. Here to stay.