FATBMX Your Online BMX News Resource Since 1998

Name: Ryan Antle
Age: 22
Hometown: CBS Newfoundland, Canada
Hook-ups/Sponsors: Killemall Distro

The favorite list:

-Spot to ride: Montreal Street
-BMX video: Animal cuts
-Web video: Dakota Roche Bay Roam

Name: Robert Osmond
Age: 19
Hometown: Mount Pearl, Newfoundland
Hook-ups/Sponsors: None

The favorite list:

-Spot to ride: Anywhere with a couple ledges
-BMX video: Deadline

Name: Kyle Harris
Age: 26
Hometown: Medford, OR (USA)
Hook-ups/Sponsors: myself

The favorite list:

-Spot to ride: Talent, OR skatepark
-BMX video: Building the Underground / Blueprint
-Website: Goods BMX
-Web video: anything boosty or gnarly
-Food: Chipotle
-Twitter to follow: Donald Trump hahaha
-Person on Instagram: riff raff
-Travel destination: PA trails
-Riders to ride with: Chris Akin, Keith Harris, Jeff Landtiser
-Car: Old Schools
-Movie: Friday
-Colour: Black

Name: Tristan van den Berg
Age: 16
Hometown: Zaandam, Netherlands
Hook-ups/Sponsors: Soulcyle bmx shop

The favorite list:

-Spot to ride: Street
-BMX video: Subrosa G.U.T.I.

Name: Manon VALENTINO
Number in Rio: 971
Country: France
Result: 8

When was the point for you that you thought you had a good chance of going to the 2016 Olympics in Rio?
Manon: My goal the last 4 years was to increase my level and to be good enough to have a chance to win a medal at the Olympics.

Name: Lauren Reynolds
Number in Rio: 21
Country: Australia
Result: Semi finalist

When was the point for you that you thought you had a good chance of going to the 2016 Olympics in Rio?
Lauren Reynolds: Rio 2016 had always been on my radar since the  Olympic Games introduced bmx racing. Once I made my first Olympic team in 2012, and falling short of my expectations and result, 2016 Games soon became a target.

Can you explain what kind of sacrifices you have to make as a professional BMX racer to be on top of your game all the time?
Lauren Reynolds: Being a professional athlete of any sport isn't easy, the road certainly isn't as smooth as it's shown to be. When you set yourself dreams and goals most athlete will do what ever it takes to achieve them, and this usually comes with a cost.

Name: Nadja Pries
Number in Rio: 53
Country: Germany
Result: Semi Final

Name: Yoshitaku Nagasako
Number in Rio: 993
Country: Japan
Result: 1/4 finals, 12th in TT

"The important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win, but to take part; the important thing in Life is not triumph, but the struggle; the essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well."

I spent five days cruising (and shooting photos) around in the back of Dakota Roche's truck while he and Calvin Kosovich stacked clips for his new video, "Bay Roam." On the last day, I brought out the camera and proceeded to have a casual conversation about spots, the project, and more as we cruised through the cuts of SF in search of spots...

Name: Merle van Benthem
Number in Rio: 75
Country: The Netherlands
Result: Semi final

How big was your struggle even making it to the Olympics?
Merle: To be honest it was a pretty rough road to Rio. Had to deal with a fractured back, a torn ACL and a pretty bad concussion but once I made it, it was all worth it.

What were your personal goals two weeks before the Olympic race?
Merle: My goals were to medal.

How much different did the track look when you saw it for the first time?
Merle: The track looked a lot different during the Olympics than the first time we saw the track at the test event. Not just the green asphalt turns but the track looked way smoother and faster than during the test event.

How big was your team arond you in Rio? (mechanic, coach, nutrition, physio, family/friends, etc...)
Merle: My parents and brother came out to Rio to support. My best friend who is a Dutch track cyclist and other couple Dutch athletes were in the stands to support. And of course the Dutch staff.