You don't want to know how often I've tried to sit down and write up a story on the UCI World's in Valkenswaard. With the event taking place months ago I'm now trying to remember interesting things that took place in the packed BMX stadium. Here's a little report on the cruiser action.
First of all I don't really like the whole cruiser class. BMX is 20 inch and the cruiser class is for those who can't handle the 20 inches. The class has absolutely no value. The elite men race it because they can make some extra cash and get some extra bonus money from their sponsors for a first, second or third place. In the good years this was good money for riders like Dale Holmes with his sponsor matching his price winnings. It was worth dragging that extra bike with you all year.
For the 2004 UCI cruiser world's, people dusted off their cruiser (including Bas de Bever) or scored an extra free bike from their sponsor to sell it right after the race. Riding cruiser class gives them an extra chance on a title in case they mess up in the real class (20 inch). In the Elite Men class I would say that the only riders in the main racing cruiser class on a regular basis are GT's Randy Stumpfhauser and FLY's Donny Robinson.
When the gate dropped it was Argentinian Becerine out front followed by a train of Americans. The action went down in the third turn, Jason Richardson got the inside and moved Becerine up the asphalt 180 degree turn. Stumpfhauser saw it coming and did a sweet high-low for the lead. With Richardson losing momentum after his move, Donny Robinson moved into 2nd position, followed by J-Rich, Roger Rinderknecht and Becerine now back in 5th. In the second to last turn it was unlucky DR crashing out. This moved Richardson in second place. Rinderknecht got held up by the carnage and Becerine moved from 5th into a medal position. By this time the Cruiser Master had checked out to get his 3rd consecutive UCI World Cruiser title. Silver was for J-Rich and Bronze for Becerine who moved from 1st to 5th to 3rd and still had a smile on his face (like always). It was actually one of the better races of the weekend, even if they were racing bikes with 24 inch wheels.
BDJ
Click here for more pictures on this article.
Results:
Elite Men's Cruiser
1. Randy Stumpfhauser/USA
2. Jason Richardson/USA
3. Cristian Becerine/ARG
4. John Purse/USA
5. Florent Boutte/FRA
6. Roger Rinderknecht/SUI
7. Donny Robinson/USA
8. Ivo Lakucs/LAT
Junior Cruiser
1. Augusto Castro/COL
2. Jeremy Chaffot/FRA
3. Aaron Lepp/CAN
4. Emilio Falla/ECU
5. Billy Jolliffe/AUS
6. Leigh Darrell/AUS
7. Michael Fenwick/AUS
8. Lukas Mechura/CZE
12 & Under Cruiser
1. Tory Nyhaug
2. David Oquendo Zabala
3. Chase Hines
4. Kevin Marty
5. Lorin Martinez
6. Lucas Alfred Bustos
7. Yeison Diaz Aguirre
8. Tristan Lentink
13 & 14 Cruiser
1. Masahiro Sanpei
2. Kalin Hall
3. Jelle van Gorkom
4. Dirk Winter
5. Mauricio Sarmiento
6. Nicolas Aboudai
7. Vincent Pelluard
8. Kevin van Benthem
15 & 16 Cruiser
1. Martijn Scherpen
2. Cesar Delfor Bruna
3. Ramiro Marino
4. Edjus Treimanis
5. Rick Bok
6. James Dixon
7. Steve Wong
8. Yvan Lapraz
17 - 29 Cruiser
1. Dorus Brink
2. Janis Vanags
3. Miks Pukitis
4. Aivars Buris
5. Joel Quintero
6. Wouter Oostindjer
7. Andrew Maddock
8. Kristopher Mulhause
30 - 34 Cruiser
1. Richard van Zomeren
2. Bob van Westerop
3. Gerben Dorland
4. Moses Tillmon
5. Rene Zivny
6. Yann Bonici
7. Jürgen Schelling
8. Szilard Szurdok
35 - 39 Cruiser
1. Domingos Lamoglia
2. Pierre-Henr Sauze
3. German Medina
4. Alexander Rockenberg
5. Imko Mike Gerrits
6. Jean-Paul Colson
7. Stephane Rodet
8. Trevor Stamford
40 - 44 Cruiser
1. Shaun Calvert
2. Terry Shupe
3. Jeff Hampton
4. Teun Stam
5. John Baker
6. German Diaz
7. Adrian Warden
8. Andreas Diener
45 & over Cruiser
1. Markus Kissling
2. Peter Jensen
3. Americo Faundez
4. Val Racine
5. Zdenek Merta
6. Knud B. Nielsen
7. Bert Volkers
8. Brian Dayson
18 & under Women Cruiser
1. Shanaze Reade
2. Leatitia le Corguille
3. Sarah Walker
4. Blandine Cottereau
5. Mariana Pajon Londono
6. Renee Junga
7. Romana Labounkova
8. Samantha Cools
19 & over Women Cruiser
1. Cyrielle Convert
2. Jana Horokova
3. Aneta Hladikova
4. Ellen Bollansee
5. Elodie Ajinca
6. Helana Aubry
7. Kerstin Fritscher
8. Vaqnessa Quin
First of all I don't really like the whole cruiser class. BMX is 20 inch and the cruiser class is for those who can't handle the 20 inches. The class has absolutely no value. The elite men race it because they can make some extra cash and get some extra bonus money from their sponsors for a first, second or third place. In the good years this was good money for riders like Dale Holmes with his sponsor matching his price winnings. It was worth dragging that extra bike with you all year.
For the 2004 UCI cruiser world's, people dusted off their cruiser (including Bas de Bever) or scored an extra free bike from their sponsor to sell it right after the race. Riding cruiser class gives them an extra chance on a title in case they mess up in the real class (20 inch). In the Elite Men class I would say that the only riders in the main racing cruiser class on a regular basis are GT's Randy Stumpfhauser and FLY's Donny Robinson.
When the gate dropped it was Argentinian Becerine out front followed by a train of Americans. The action went down in the third turn, Jason Richardson got the inside and moved Becerine up the asphalt 180 degree turn. Stumpfhauser saw it coming and did a sweet high-low for the lead. With Richardson losing momentum after his move, Donny Robinson moved into 2nd position, followed by J-Rich, Roger Rinderknecht and Becerine now back in 5th. In the second to last turn it was unlucky DR crashing out. This moved Richardson in second place. Rinderknecht got held up by the carnage and Becerine moved from 5th into a medal position. By this time the Cruiser Master had checked out to get his 3rd consecutive UCI World Cruiser title. Silver was for J-Rich and Bronze for Becerine who moved from 1st to 5th to 3rd and still had a smile on his face (like always). It was actually one of the better races of the weekend, even if they were racing bikes with 24 inch wheels.
BDJ
Click here for more pictures on this article.
Results:
Elite Men's Cruiser
1. Randy Stumpfhauser/USA
2. Jason Richardson/USA
3. Cristian Becerine/ARG
4. John Purse/USA
5. Florent Boutte/FRA
6. Roger Rinderknecht/SUI
7. Donny Robinson/USA
8. Ivo Lakucs/LAT
Junior Cruiser
1. Augusto Castro/COL
2. Jeremy Chaffot/FRA
3. Aaron Lepp/CAN
4. Emilio Falla/ECU
5. Billy Jolliffe/AUS
6. Leigh Darrell/AUS
7. Michael Fenwick/AUS
8. Lukas Mechura/CZE
12 & Under Cruiser
1. Tory Nyhaug
2. David Oquendo Zabala
3. Chase Hines
4. Kevin Marty
5. Lorin Martinez
6. Lucas Alfred Bustos
7. Yeison Diaz Aguirre
8. Tristan Lentink
13 & 14 Cruiser
1. Masahiro Sanpei
2. Kalin Hall
3. Jelle van Gorkom
4. Dirk Winter
5. Mauricio Sarmiento
6. Nicolas Aboudai
7. Vincent Pelluard
8. Kevin van Benthem
15 & 16 Cruiser
1. Martijn Scherpen
2. Cesar Delfor Bruna
3. Ramiro Marino
4. Edjus Treimanis
5. Rick Bok
6. James Dixon
7. Steve Wong
8. Yvan Lapraz
17 - 29 Cruiser
1. Dorus Brink
2. Janis Vanags
3. Miks Pukitis
4. Aivars Buris
5. Joel Quintero
6. Wouter Oostindjer
7. Andrew Maddock
8. Kristopher Mulhause
30 - 34 Cruiser
1. Richard van Zomeren
2. Bob van Westerop
3. Gerben Dorland
4. Moses Tillmon
5. Rene Zivny
6. Yann Bonici
7. Jürgen Schelling
8. Szilard Szurdok
35 - 39 Cruiser
1. Domingos Lamoglia
2. Pierre-Henr Sauze
3. German Medina
4. Alexander Rockenberg
5. Imko Mike Gerrits
6. Jean-Paul Colson
7. Stephane Rodet
8. Trevor Stamford
40 - 44 Cruiser
1. Shaun Calvert
2. Terry Shupe
3. Jeff Hampton
4. Teun Stam
5. John Baker
6. German Diaz
7. Adrian Warden
8. Andreas Diener
45 & over Cruiser
1. Markus Kissling
2. Peter Jensen
3. Americo Faundez
4. Val Racine
5. Zdenek Merta
6. Knud B. Nielsen
7. Bert Volkers
8. Brian Dayson
18 & under Women Cruiser
1. Shanaze Reade
2. Leatitia le Corguille
3. Sarah Walker
4. Blandine Cottereau
5. Mariana Pajon Londono
6. Renee Junga
7. Romana Labounkova
8. Samantha Cools
19 & over Women Cruiser
1. Cyrielle Convert
2. Jana Horokova
3. Aneta Hladikova
4. Ellen Bollansee
5. Elodie Ajinca
6. Helana Aubry
7. Kerstin Fritscher
8. Vaqnessa Quin 
After doing a BMX 'zine for ten years (1987 - 1996) FATBMX made it on the internet. The year was 1998. Here to stay.