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Twan van Gendt: My oldest BMX memory is seeing the sport for the first time in Ammerzoden (FCC Ammersoyen). I immediately fell in love with it. Racing each other while jumping gaps was what I wanted to do. And that’s what I still want!

Do you remember your first time on a BMX track?
Twan van Gendt: My mum says I was 4 years old when I rode my first laps around the track but I honestly can’t remember the very first time.

Who was your hero when you just started out racing?
Twan van Gendt: I was only racing national races so I had no international hero’s, Bas de Bever had a friend on my local track and therefore Bas came over and did some laps at my local track on his mtb in the mid 90’s. He then became my hero for a few years (and later on my coach).

Do you have one rider now that you respect for their speed, skills, sportmanship, personality, in other words, do you have a rider who you look up to now? or is it different since you're racing against them?
Twan van Gendt: Used to be but it’s different since I started racing with and against them. This is because I don’t want to look up to anyone when I am next to him on the gate. I highly respect my colleague who are always out there for the podium. Most of them are good friends or even team mates. It’s great what they do and it keeps me motivated to beat them!

On the track it looks like you have no friends when the gate drops and aren't scared of anyone. Is that a bit of your style and/or does it take that kind of mentality to ride against the very best and beat them?
Twan van Gendt: It’s not a style, it’s what’s needed! I’m not scared of anyone or anything anymore. When I see a spot I just go for it! It’s kind of my style now and I think only the full focus and mentality will win. It wasn’t always like that. I remember my first Worldcup-final Chula Vista 2012. I was really stoked to be in the final and I was so impressed standing between all the big names that I forgot to do my thing at the gate. I also completely missed every landing on the first straight and messed op this final.

You're a BMX professional and train pretty much every single day to be in top shape at 7 important events during the year. But things can go wrong quickly at a race. You can unclip a pedal and miss a transfer spot. How devastating is it when something like that happens and your race is over?
Twan van Gendt: it’s one of the worst things that can happen during a race. You can’t help it and most of the time your race is over. I’m really questioning myself then why?? And I will be just frustrated for a while…….

Being a top BMX racer everything needs to be 100% to win a race. The bike, the skills, the endurance, the power, the start, the mindset. What do you feel are your strong points when you're lining up for that World Cup final race?
Twan van Gendt: That would be my mindset on the gate and my strong acceleration on the first straight.

The Dutch BMX program is quite good with the team being able to use all the training facilities at the Olympic Center in Papendal and with the Supercross track right there. On top of that you guys do training trips to sunny countries during the winter time. Is there something that's missing to make it even better?
Twan van Gendt: We have a great training facility here in Papendal the Netherlands: the training program, the facilities. But there are always things to improve or to be wished for. It’s often real windy at the track and we have quite some rainy days here in Holland. Especially in this period of the year it’s hard to do a decent training session on the Papendal-track. So if there is a way to find a solution for that then we have the major things covered and we can get even faster!

You recently got picked up by Red Bull. What are they doing for you to make you a better BMX rider?
Twan van Gendt: They are giving me wings! It’s until now these first weeks a great family to be a part off. Every time I put the Red Bull Lid on I get great racing vibes! They are supporting me extra where useful and of course I can finally wear their cool caps!

You've got this personal sponsor who also has an indoor pump track in a warehouse. How often do you ride that set up?
Twan van Gendt: Yeah, this support is really useful and the pumptrack is great! It’s indoor and I can always use it. So I ride it whenever possible. Me and my personal sponsor are working together as a good team and good friends. We think of ideas to improve the sport and action to make it more popular in the Netherlands. That’s how we bought this indoor-pumptrack and we are now working on a bike-jam with a pumptrack-bike-battle in Holland the weekend of June 21/22. This event has the goal for everyone (pro’s, kids, BMX-bikers, 4X-bikers, skaters, stuntsteps, etc) to greet, meet, race and enjoy. Be there!

Do you ride trails/dirt jumps much?
Twan van Gendt: No, unfortunately not. We are not really allowed to do that. Our sport is already an action-sport and our coach doesn’t wants us tot take extra risks on injuries outside the track, especially not before and during the race-season. But I definitely want to do more trails/dirt jumps in the future!

What's a good day for Twan van Gendt, how would it look?
Twan van Gendt: A good day for me is a good gym session in the morning and a great Supercross session in the afternoon. All with not too much wind and a decent temperature! The track of course with some bad ass pull’s on the first straight and ending with some nice rit'm sections on the 3th straight!

Thanks to: I want to thank all who support me for believing in me. Special thanks to my family for always being there for me!

Pics by Rutger Pauw/Red Bull/BdJ