It feels good to have some time in a foreign country to explore, meet new people and see new things. After a few days "off" it was time to head back to the Pista BMX Carlos Ramirez for Friday's practice and Saturday's Round 7 of the UCI BMX Racing World Cup. Most of the athletes had come over to Colombia a week prior to get used to the 2500m altitude. For them it's the third weekend in Bogota and the goal was to score some good points now that Olympic qualifying has started for BMX racing since last weekend. Watching high level BMX racing you can only have respect for the athletes. That first lip of the 10m gap looks good for a dirt jump competition, but takes a different approach when hit at 60 kmh. It becomes a bit of a curb that you have to suck up to stay low. Any freestyle rider would use the transition to send it high, but that's not the goal for BMX Racing. The speed generated is so high and the racing is so close that a little elbow bump can result in being out of competition.
The support for the riders is there. With team tents, rollers, food, drinks, physios, doctors, trainers, and mental coaches at hand, the pressure gets even higher when expectations are high and points are expected. Racing down that 8 meter hill with 7 others next to you becomes a battle. With fairly packed granstands on the first straight full of loud fans, VIP's, media and coaches, making it out front is what everyone is shooting for.
After doing a BMX 'zine for ten years (1987 - 1996) FATBMX made it on the internet. The year was 1998. Here to stay.