CYCLING Preview: Dutch stars Kimmann and Smulders favored in World BMX Championships in Belgium

Dutch World Champion and 2012 Olympic BMX bronze winner Laura Smulders

The best in BMX are assembled at the famous racecourse in Heusden-Zolder (BEL) for the UCI World Championships, ongoing this week with the elite men’s and women’s racing on Saturday (27th).

The fields include 97 men and 48 women, with 11 prior men’s medalists in the Olympic Games or World Championships this decade, and 10 women:

Men:
● Sylvain Andre (FRA) ~ 2018 World Champion, 2017 Worlds silver
● Joris Daudet (FRA) ~ 2011-16 World Champion; 2012-18 silver; 2010-17 bronze
● Anderson de Souza Filho (BRA) ~ 2018 Worlds bronze
Corben Sharrah (USA) ~ 2017 World Champion
Nicholas Long (USA) ~ 2016 Worlds bronze
● Niek Kimmann (NED) ~ 2015 World Champion; 2016 Worlds silver
● David Graf (SUI) ~ 2015 Worlds bronze
● Tre Whyte (GBR) ~ 2014 Worlds bronze
Connor Fields (USA) ~ 2016 Olympic Champion
● Carlos Ramirez (COL) ~ 2016 Olympic bronze medalist
● Carlos Oquendo (COL) ~ 2016 Olympic bronze medalist

Women:
● Mariana Pajon (COL) ~ 2012-16 Olympic gold; 2011-14-16 World Champ; 2017 bronze
● Simone Christensen (DEN) ~ 2015 Worlds bronze
● Manon Valentino (FRA) ~ 2013 Worlds bronze
● Judy Baauw (NED) ~ 2018 Worlds bronze
● Laura Smulders (NED) ~ 2016 Olympic bronze; 2018 World Champ; 2014 Worlds bronze
● Merel Smulders (NED) ~ 2018 Worlds silver
Alise Willoughby (USA) ~ 2017 World Champion; 2014 silver; 2016 Olympic silver
● Stephany Hernandez (VEN) ~ 2015 World Champion; 2016 Olympic silver
● Laura Reynolds (AUS) ~ 2013 Worlds silver
● Sarah Walker (NZL) ~ 2012 Olympic silver; 2007-10-11 Worlds silver; 2008 Worlds bronze

In terms of the 2019 World Cup, the leaders – and Worlds favorites – include:

Men:
1. 800 Niek Kimmann (NED)
2. 680 Joris Daudet (FRA)
3. 550 David Graf (SUI)
4. 540 Jeremy Rencurrel (FRA)
5. 470 Alfredo Campo (ECU)

Women:
1. 670 Laura Smulders (NED)
2. 645 Alise Willoughby (USA)
3. 600 Judy Baauw (NED)
4. 595 Manon Valentino (FRA)
5. 550 Simone Christensen (DEN)

Prize money of € 5,000-3,000-2,000-1,200-800-600-500-400 will be available to the top eight finishers. Look for results here.

The USA Cycling Mountain Bike Championships are on this week at the Trestle Bike Park in Winter Park, Colorado, with multiple divisions for ages from 6 to 87!

In terms of the elite Cross Country championship, Howard Grotts will be looking for his fourth U.S. title in a row, and try to reclaim the U.S. Short Course title he lost to Chris Blevins in 2018, after winning in 2016 and 2017.

World Champion Kate Courtney, who has dominated the Nationals the last two years, is not entered. Erin Huck, the Cross Country champion in 2016 – and second to Courtney last year – will look to add another title to her resume. In the Short Course, she will be looking for her fourth consecutive title.

In the Downhill, Aaron Gwin was the national champs in 2016-17, and Neko Mulally won the men’s division in 2018. Jill Kintner won the women’s race in 2015-16-17, but Samantha Soriano claimed it last season.

Look for results here.