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Niels Bensink and Drew Mechielsen headed to China for the UCI Pump Track Worlds Qualifier in Deqing and for the opening of the enormous Shenyang facility located in the popular Yougu River Park on the outskirts of the city.

Asphalt, also referred to as tarmac, pavement or bitumen - as we like to call it: Black Gold. It is the base of our pump tracks and something we consider to be of very high value. It puts a lot of smiles on ours and many others faces. From building with it, to riding and winning on it. Pump tracks are the future and bring people and communities together. As long as it has wheels, you can shred them. Every track is built to the highest standard and with an eye for detail for the best user experience, over and over again. And who knows better how to build them than Niels Bensink?

He is your current UCI Pump Track World Champion and main shaper and quality coordinator at Velosolutions Canada West. For him it all started 20 years ago building pump tracks in his backyard in

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

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

Divergence is a short film in association with Radon Bikes featuring Niels Bensink. After more than 18 years of racing BMX, Niels sets his sights on a new adventure as he diverges from his standard routine in the Netherlands. He will be making the move to Langley, BC Canada, early next year to get even more time on the bike and to explore more of the mountainbike scene.

The end of an era has come. After more than 15 years the Bensink BMX Gates compound will be taken down. To celebrate the history, work hours, jams, sessions and all the other memories it was time for one last jam. Over the years the yard has grown to be a BMX and mountainbike heaven with multiple riding options for everyone. The day was all about fun with friends with good music by a RedBull DJ, a BBQ, many drinks and a bonfire. Luckily the weather was on our sides too with sunshine all day. All-in-all made for good times, some crashes and plenty of laughs that went on till late in the night.

Name: Niels Bensink
Sponsors: Meybo Bikes, Vee Tire Co, Renthal, SD Components, HT Components, Enjoy the Ride, Bensink BMX Gates, TVE Sports, Oegema Transport, Eurol, Esteq, PumptrackNL & Oakley
Mechanic: Thijs Kroon & Dylan Schuurman

How does it feel to build up a 2021 model in June of 2020?
Niels Bensink: 
Due to the current circumstances the whole bike industry got to a hold, also Meybo. This is why the

Name: Niels Bensink
Age: 22
Hometown: Voorst, Netherlands
Sponsors: Bensink BMX Gates, Sportbrillenshop, HT Components, PumptrackNL, Janssen Lastechnieken, Meybo Bikes, Vee Tire, SD Components, Renthal, Eurol, Oegema Transport, TVE Sport, Indoor Dijk.

Bike check:

Frame: Meybo Holeshot XXXL with 39,3 cm fixed rear-end
Cranks: Box One 175mm
Bottom bracket: Box
Pedals: HT components T-1 SX
Sprocket: Renthal 43T
Chain: KMC Koolchain
Chain tensioner: Meybo (custom made)
Rims: SD Components carbon low

A compilation of clips from my first camp with @TeamOegemaTVE to Spain! Two productive weeks of hard work, sunny weather and good times with the group. Can't wait for more!

Having a large backyard has always been a dream of me. Not for the space, just to be able to build your own dirt spot, they way you want it. On 20 square meters you can't build much but luckily we've got some dirt spots close by which works. The Bensink family over in Voorst do have a dirt jump park built in their backyard and Philip and I paid a visit last Saturday. Unfortunately Niels wasn't present himself as he was racing in China so the big jumps did not see any riding but still the pump track section of the spot was good fun. Building and maintaining a dirt spot is hard work. You've got to love it otherwise it doesn't make sense having your own spot. More time is spent with the shovel in hand than the grips of your handlebars riding it. But then again, you are in control of what you're