Vincent Pelluard (FRA) won all their laps in the Men category while 35 years old Gabriele Diaz from Argentina and Daniela George (USA) did the same in Elite Women. It's an indication they were ready for the race the next day.
When the Time Trials Superfinals started on Saturday evening, the winning time would be just around the 29 second mark. No one during qualifying racing had been faster than that but three pre-qualified athletes made it happen in the Time Trials. First rider up to break into the 28-s was 2015 UCI BMX World Champion Niek Kimmann (NED) who got then sent off the hot seat by Tory 
Nyhaug (CAN) with a lap of 28.830 seconds. Last rider up Corben Sharrah (USA) made up a lot of time on the last straight but was 0.041 short of Tory's time. Alise Post (USA) won her first ever Time Trials Superfinal and was well happy with that. Mariana Pajon (COL) and Caroline Buchanan (AUS) followed in second and third respectively.
The stands filled up nicely on Sunday when the World Cup points were on the line. It was clear that Corben Sharrah (USA), winner of the first World Cup in Argentina, was ready for his second win. Corben won his quarter as well as his semi final to be met up with Nic Long (USA), Joris Daudet (FRA) and Liam Phillips (GBR) who each won their quarter final. Liam Phillips had been undefeated in Manchester and by winning his semi final he showed he wanted to make it four in a row. When the gate 
dropped in the final, Americans Sharrah and Long were on the inside of Sir Liam but when he put the power on, he made sure he got out of the first turn in first. Close behind him was Kyle Evans and the crowd got on their feet. Two Brits were leading the main race of the day which was a dream come true for the British fans on the stands. With so much track time behind them both Liam and Kyle did not make any mistakes and finished that way in spot one and two. Third was for Switzerland's Renaud Blanc who got his first UCI BMX SX WC podium spot at the National Cycling Centre in Manchester.
The Elite Women final had a script that noone could have dreamed of. In turn one Stefany Hernandez (VEN), Mariana Pajon (COL) and Laetitia Le Corguille (FRA) crashed out while Laura Smulders tangled but could ride on. Alise Post (USA) at this point had taken the lead and was ready for the win. 
With the finish line just 15 meters away the Redline rider lost control and crashed and had Caroline Buchanan (AUS), Simone Christensen (DEN) and Brooke Crain (USA) pass before she could push her own bike over the finish line to eventually get 4th. This meant Buchanan's third victory in a row in Manchester.
After two rounds Caroline Buchanan and Corben Sharrah are leading the UCI BMX SX World Cup but lots of changes in the standings have happened because some did not show up (Strombergs, Willoughby, Dean) and others got injured in Manchester with broken bones (a.o. Van Gendt, Van Gorkom, Walsh, George, Mahieu, Fields, Garcia). 
With round three coming up in Papendal, Netherlands on 7-8 May we'll have to see who magically got back on their bikes in time to ride the outdoor 'Rio replica' track. It will be the last World Cup for nations to score Olympic qualification points so an important one indeed.
So far the 2016 UCI BMX SX World Cup season has been full of surprises. Papendal can't come soon enough. 
Elite Men Manchester:
1 65 PHILLIPS Liam GBR 3 28.670
2 211 EVANS Kyle GBR 5 29.046
3 373 BLANC Renaud SUI 4 29.202
4 64 LONG Nicholas USA 2 29.494
5 33 DAUDET Joris FRA 7 29.508
6 40 NAVRESTAD Tore NOR 6 30.167
7 92 JASPERS Martijn NED 8 30.336
8 24 SHARRAH Corben USA 1 30.434
Elite Women Manchester:
1 68 BUCHANAN Caroline AUS 3 31.684
2 3 CHRISTENSEN Simone DEN 6 32.434 
3 32 CRAIN Brooke USA 4 32.930
4 11 POST Alise USA 1 40.066
5 110 SMULDERS Laura NED 8 58.446
6 100 PAJON Mariana COL 2 DNF
7 469 HERNANDEZ Stefany VEN 5 DNF
8 103 LE CORGUILLE Laetitia FRA 7 DNF
2016 SX World Cup standings Elite Men:
1 SHARRAH Corben USA 340 225 1 115 8 
2 LONG Nicholas USA 280 125 7 155 4
3 EVANS Kyle GBR 260 65 17 195 2
4 TORRES Exequiel ARG 240 155 4 85 15
5 DAUDET Joris FRA 240 95 11 145 5
6 PHILLIPS Liam GBR 225 0 0 225 1
7 MIR Amidou FRA 225 165 3 60 21
8 CAMPO Alfredo ECU 210 115 8 95 11
9 FIELDS Connor USA 195 195 2 0 0
10 NAVRESTAD Tore NOR 190 55 25 135 6
11 RAMIREZ Carlos COL 190 100 9 90 13
12 JASPERS Martijn NED 185 60 21 125 7 
13 BLANC Renaud SUI 180 15 41 165 3
14 NYHAUG Tory CAN 160 145 5 15 41
15 PELLUARD Vincent FRA 160 60 21 100
16 GRAF David SUI 155 60 21 95 11
17 VAN DER BURG Dave NED 155 65 17 90 13
18 KIMMANN Niek NED 155 90 13 65 17
19 JONES Trent NZL 145 90 13 55 25
20 ANDRE Sylvain FRA 140 55 25 85 15
21 VAN GENDT Twan NED 135 135 6 0
22 VAN GORKOM Jelle NED 135 85 15 50 29 
23 OQUENDO ZABALA Carlos COL 125 65 17 60 21
24 UPSHAW Jeffery USA 120 100 9 20 33
25 RENCUREL Jeremy FRA 120 65 17 55 25
26 WHYTE Tre GBR 115 50 29 65 17
27 MOLINA Gonzalo ARG 105 95 11 10 49
28 VEIDE Rihards LAT 100 0 0 100 9
29 WILLOUGHBY Sam AUS 85 85 15
30 HARMSEN Joris NED 85 20 33 65 17
31 CHRISTENSEN Chris DEN 80 60 21 20 33
32 BRETHAUER Luis GER 75 15 41 60 21
33 TREIMANIS Edzus LAT 75 20 33 55 25
34 GODET Damien FRA 70 5 57 65 17
35 HERMAN David USA 70 10 49 60 21
36 KLESHCHENKO Evgeny RUS 65 15 41 50 29
37 MARINO Ramiro ARG 65 50 29 15 41
38 DUBOIS Corentin FRA 55 0 0 55 25
39 DEAN Anthony AUS 55 55 25
39 STROMBERGS Maris LAT 55 55 25
2016 SX World Cup standings Elite Women:
1 BUCHANAN Caroline AUS 450 225 1 225 1
2 CHRISTENSEN Simone DEN 350 155 4 195 2
3 PAJON Mariana COL 330 195 2 135 6
4 SMULDERS Laura NED 310 165 3 145 5
5 CRAIN Brooke USA 300 135 6 165 3
6 POST Alise USA 280 125 7 155 4
7 LE CORGUILLE Laetitia FRA 215 100 9 115 8
8 VANHOOF Elke BEL 215 115 8 100 9
9 ETIENNE Axelle FRA 210 145 5 65 17 
10 POTTIER Magalie FRA 190 95 11 95 11
11 HERNANDEZ Stefany VEN 175 50 29 125 7
12 GEORGE Danielle USA 175 90 13 85 15
13 DIAZ Maria Gabriela ARG 165 100 9 65 17
14 REYNOLDS Lauren AUS 155 65 17 90 13
15 SUVOROVA Natalia RUS 150 90 13 60 21
16 BONDARENKO Yaroslava RUS 140 55 25 85 15
17 VALENTINO Manon FRA 130 65 17 65 17
18 DOUDOUX Mathilde FRA 125 65 17 60 21
19 SPRENGERS Dana NED 120 65 17 55 25 
20 STEVAUX Priscila BRA 115 55 25 60 21
21 HLADIKOVA Aneta CZE 115 60 21 55 25
22 CURTIS Leanna AUS 110 60 21 50 29
23 IJANO Bianca BRA 105 55 25 50 29
24 SHRIEVER Bethany GBR 100 0 0 100 9
25 BAAUW Judy NED 95 0 0 95 11
26 STANCIL Felicia USA 95 95 11 0
27 VAN BENTHEM Merle NED 90 0 0 90 13
28 MAIRE Camille FRA 85 85 15 0
28 MCLEOD Melinda AUS 85 85 15 0 
30 DELLAR Kirsten AUS 65 0 0 65 17
31 TAYLOR Abbie GBR 60 0 0 60 21
32 ?? 60 60 21 0 0 0 0 0
32 AZUERO GONZALEZ Michelle ECU 60 60 21
34 GOMEZ Estefany COL 55 0 0 55 25
34 HATAKEYAMA Sae JPN 55 0 0 55 25
36 PRIES Nadja GER 55 55 25 0 0
37 GREEN Charlotte GBR 50 0 0 50 29
37 SARTEN Hannah NZL 50 0 0 50 29
39 CARR Amanda THA 50 50 29 0
39 ZAMPESE Camilla ITA 50 50 29 0
39 OSORNO CALDERON Maria Paulina COL 50 50 29
Pics by Bart de Jong/EBC
After doing a BMX 'zine for ten years (1987 - 1996) FATBMX made it on the internet. The year was 1998. Here to stay.