BMX is a relatively recent cycling sport, born in the USA in the 70s and quickly making its appearance in France. Considered an extreme acrobatic discipline, it's all the rage among youngsters, but is practiced by male and female riders of all ages. There are two categories in BMX: Race, which is a race on a closed course, and Freestyle, which involves performing spectacular tricks. Race is the most popular, and there are plenty of tracks in the Paris region to try it out on!
In BMX Race, 8 riders take off from a starting grid and race along a 400-meter track dotted with various difficulties. In the competition, they must pass three qualifying heats, then the first 4 reach the next round and so on through to the final. An Olympic discipline since Beijing in 2008, BMX is now well known to the general public, and French athletes are among the best in the world.
The Île-de-France region is one of the country's largest BMX committees, and now boasts some twenty clubs. BMX race tracks are generally made of clay, with a very rolling surface, bumps and bends, and vary in length from 280 m to 400 m. In the Yvelines region, there's even an Olympic track, where the next events will be held during the Paris Games. Find the track nearest you!
