2011 Suggestions to Think About as Follow Up on Evaluation Sx Papendal - Holland 15-7-11

8/6/2019 2011 Suggestions to Think About as Follow Up on Evaluation Sx Papendal - Holland 15-7-11.

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Waalre-Holland, July 18th 2011. Pages 1 6.

University of BMXwww.universityofbmx.com

Gerrit Does

To decisionmakers in BMX

Concerns: additional report on evaluation UCI BMX SX Papendal Holland of late.

Straight talking!

Dear friends in BMX,

During and after the above mentioned event there has been and still is a lot of discussion concerning

the new track design of SX and Olympic track and specialy on the so-called box jump. My report

on the overall event added even more discussion later on, through internet/facebook among others.

Not everybody was happy about me sendng this evaluation report around. I can understand that, but

in the end I think it will bring us some good. Discussion is essential for understanding nd

improvement of things in our sport.

Following my evaluation SX Papendal I was invited to have a discussion with the actual

organizers of the BMX SX at Papendal, the responsable people fromNOC-NSF (Olympic

committee) and the promotorBMX Holland B.V. Besides the discussion on technical items in my

report, I was also informed about some background info on how the combination NOC-NSF and

BMX Holland B.V. came together and how they were accepted as organizers by the KNWU (Dutch

national cycling federation) and the UCI.

It became clear to me that this combination had a professional plan ready for the 3 years to come, so

up and till the BMX Worlds in Holland to be helt at the Rotterdam Ahoy Sportarena in 2014. They

lack some BMX background info, but that's somenthing that can be solved easily. With all respect

towards BMX clubs in Holland working with volunteers as officers, this combination forms a

professional group of people who'sbusiness it is to organize. I will come back to this later on in my

recommendations.

Must be said that in the end, most of the remarks made about the organization in my report, they

more or less agreed with. They wil seriously look into possibly changing the track design were it

concerns the first corner and for sure the box jump. I think it was very positif that those responsable

invited me to have this meeting with them. We both learned from this experience for sure.

Another meeting/discussion took place with one of the UCI BMX committee members. Also this

meet was an eye-opener for both of us. In general most of my remarks in the evaluation report were

correct and some weren't. It was explained to me how BMX has developed the past 5/6 years, afterthe announcement came that BMX would become an Olympic sport in 2008.

From then on National cycling federations started to put money into the sport of BMX, organizing a

national team, training camps, and appointing trainers/coaches and so on. This concerned mainly

the top classes, Junior and Elite m/w.

Besides that, the World Cup and Supercross events were developed in the sence of more difficult

BMX tracks were only Junior and Elite Men and Women were allowed to race. I haven'n been

present at any WC or SX event from 2005 on, but did see development on TV/Freecaster

concerning track design ofcourse. O.k. BMX got more extreme, personaly I would say more

professional.

Development in JUNIOR and specialy in ELITE class progressed fast. One can say that BMX now

is a real top-sport. At National level (and I believe that's not only in Holland the case) I believe thatin every country that has been involved in BMX for the past 20 years or more, tension is building

up between the riders (Junior/Elite m/w and all other classes) but more specific between parents,


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organizers, members of BMX committees, boardmembers of BMX clubs and so on.

I come back to this specific point in a minute too.

My meeting with the UCI BMX committee member was very positif too and again, I think both

parties learned from eachother and were able to respect their opinions.

All of the above people with whom I talked had kind of the same opinion on the track design of the

SX track at Papendal and therefore also the Olympic track. This design was in some places just a

little bit too progressive.

I can add that many reactions (mostly at an international level) I received through facebook, from

respected people involved in BMX and riders, who all know the sport of BMX very well, are very

concerned about these developments. They have about the same idea's on track design and how to

organize our sport towards the future. Something must be done.

With the track at Papendal Holland, being a replica from the Olympic trackin London 2012, a

new STEP has been made in track design. The very high starting hill, jumps were somewhat furtherapart then normaly at a WC or SX event, a complex lay-out in the first corner and last but not least,

an extreme jump was built called the BOX.

The conclusion was kind of easy: look closely to what can be improved (made safer) in the first

corner and most important remark was, remove the BOX. BMX is not free-style / stunt riding,

this obstacle takes away the character of BMX bicycle moto-cross as it is ment to be.

I heared from several sides the remark being made: why did trackbuilders change the lay-out of the

SXtrack this dramaticly DURING a running season. They should have changed track design

starting the new 2012 racing season.

Stick to the character of the sport of BMX, don't make it Free-Style and don't let sponsors or TV tell

trackbuilders/organizers what to do, how to built a track and such.

At large, changing the track design by making jumps langer and so on, is already a big step as it has

been proved during the Papendal event. 30% of the riders present did not race, some practised, but

did not race. Still some of those riders came from far away and waisted time and money!

This tells me 2 things: a. Riders (specialy from outside Holland) should have had more time

practising on this new track. b. It also shows the differences in the level of riding skills of riders

world wide. Most European and USA riders were kind of o.k. with this track after some time, others

with less experience and lacking rider skills, they had a big problem.

Conclusion by almost everybody who reacted (respected people with good knowledge of the sport)

on this event was; this track might be just a little bit too much at this moment and nobody realywanted the BOX jump to be there. Hope the responsable people will make a wise desicion on this

BOX jump soon.

Safety! Due to the next step in developing BMX (specialy concerning the tracks), safety for the

riders is essential. I don't have to explain to all of you insiders, what I mean with this, I quess. You

all can see high speed is reached coming down the starting hill. We will never be able to ban or

prefent crashes, that's part of any sport in which speed is involved (look at what is happening in the

Tour de France this year, extreme crashes and many riers out with broken bones and such).

Attention should be given to quality marks forhelmets for instance. A helmet should have a

special quality standard confirmed after test-crashes and so on. Work on that! I think a discussionOpen or Full-face helmets is not nessecary: full-face.


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I think it would be very wise, to make wearing neck-braces obligatory in the near future for all

Junior and Elite Men and Women racing in WCup, SX, W.Championship and Olympic events.

Very soon a DVD will be published on YOUTUBE and www.universityofbmx.com in which

Doctor LEATT explains very clearly why also in BMX top athletes should wear a neck-brace.

Check it out later on, we will keep you all posted.

It tells you about Doctor LEATT developing and testing neck-braces for 7 years, working with

BMW, KTM, an Institue for Health and several other doctors, physioterapists, and so on, before

even selling one of his LEATT braces.

Many BMX racers have lost theirspleen. Falling down, handle bar in stomach, problem! A MX

bodyprotectoris o.k. But not sufficient for BMX. The area protected should at least be 20/25 cm

lower then with the present MX body protectors. Flexibilty for BMX riders is essential and I

learned through a physioterapist that snow-board body protectors might be the solution. They are

very strong, flexible and do reach much lower then moto-cross bodyprotectors. Check it out!

BMX at the highest level is executed profesionaly since the Olympics. That also means that ridersshould show professionalism, not only in attitude, training and so on, but also in dressing. Racing in

shorts should be forbidden. It also protecs somewhat more, so long pants!

Another small detail, nothing to do with safety though. At some events I have seen riders wearing

Olympic rings on their jerseys (collars) while they never have been World Champion. At one time

they were World Challenge winners. Only World Champions are allowed (UCI rule) to wear this

rainbow collars. Attention please!

Concerning safety, here another item. As mentioned above, I have been watching the Tour de

France running at the moment. It seems a lot is going on there too concerning safety (tracks/

parcour, too many cars in and around the riders, too many motorcycles in and around the riders

etc.etc.). Many crashes and never this many riders had to leave the Tour because of broken bones

and so in. Part of the problem also seem to be the carbon frame, forks they are racing on. Bikes

are made lighter ( around 6, 2 kg for a complete bike) every year! Discussion has started on

returning to alu and other types of metal frames again, maybe even a higher minimum weight of a

complete bike. Also in BMX racing at Wcup and SX on the new design tracks like Papendal (and

probably London too) problems with frames and forks occured. We have to watch development

very closely here too.

BMX DEVELOPING.All of the above and some more organization and policy problems at national and international level

do show us BMX is still developing. We must not forget that BMX at an international level, is

exiting ONLY since 1981, so that's about 30 years. BMX is still a child developing (comparing

with other Olympic sports).

During the years we have had periodes of conflicts, stress, adjusting rules and regulations and so on.

Riders getting more and more experienced, faster on tracks, demanded new track designs, that

sometimes caused conflicts too. Don't forget the periode in the 80's / 90's were in the USA, when

bad accidents accured because of a new area of track design, law-suits were kind of normal almost.

BMX went through a lot of changed thrue the years, not just now.

I believe we are now at the threshold of BMX in general, becoming an ADULT sport. I won't tellyou all anything new, but for years their is discussion on how do we organize BMX racing.

5 years olds up and till 50+ year olds racing on the same tracks as the present profesionals, the
http://www.universityofbmx.com/http://www.universityofbmx.com/


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Junior and Elite men and Women, is in fact becoming a big problem. Not only riding technically but

specialy since BMX became an Olympic sport, IMAGE WISE.

BMX IS IN IT'S NEXT GROWING PHASE:

ADOLESCENT BMX IS BECOMING AN ADULT TOP SPORT.

What I see and hear around me is that there is more and more discussion between the volunteers at

club level, the professional organization of Federations and organizers and promotors. The gap

between Junior and Elite men and women and the other classes is growing (different kind of

training, more difficult tracks such as SX tracks etc., sponsoring).

In order to organize important events like a World Cup or Supercross, European or World

Championship for Junior and Elite men and women, clubs don't have the financing anymore to do

so. Just building a quality, UCI approved Supercross track will cost around 300.000 euro's.

Organizing a World Championhip will cost tons of euro's or even a million! Because of that, more

and more professional promotors are getting into organzing these events, which can be good.

Personaly I think that in each country in which a UCI BMX affiliated organization is actif, there

should be at least 1 World-Cup/Supercross track. In Europe one can put together a fantastic series of

races then for Junior and Elite men and women during a racing season.

Most important: don't ignore the very important BASE of our sport, the 5 year and under through

50+ and over classes. They are the future of our sport, absolutely. However, to market and promote

BMX, like in any other sport, the absolute top, the Junior and Elite classes, must pull the wagon.

The must have a professional image and they should become the HERO's that any young boy/girl

want to become too in BMX in the future.

FOR THE FUTURE OF BMX, RECREATION SPORT AS WELL AS COMPETITION AND TOP

SPORT MUST GO HAND IN HAND TOGETHER AND CREATE AN ADULT SPORT

ACCEPTED AS SUCH BY OUTSIDE BMX PEOPLE.

However, their have to be some changed in the organization form of our sport at National and

International level, to succeed, I think.

PROFESSIONALISM.

Most of the people involved in BMX (like in any other sport) acting as offcial, trainer, coach, club

board member and so on, are volunteers. Nothing but respect for what they do for BMX.

At the top level of organizing events, as well as at the top of our sportsmen and women (Junior and

Elite), we do see more and moreprofessionals coming in (payed officials/businesses running an

event and so on).

More and more important events havebusinesses run their events. Main reason is that for a club it is

very difficult, sometimes even impossible to finance such events. Businesses/professionals know

how to get sponsorships realized. Important events like a World Cup or Supercross only have

around 200 entries world wide. Entry-fees from that group will not be enough to run an event like

that. Sponsorships are essential then.

At European or World Championships between 1000 and 2000 entries are kind of normal. Their

entry-fees will help organizers to run that event as usual (as their base income).


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Conflicts occurnow due to the fact that volunteers (with only good intentions, I am sure) are

interfering with what professionals are doing (organization wise, racing technical wise etc.).

There is a tension building up here, which can harm ths sport if we don't take notice!

Another problem, is that again we have tracks were 5 y.o.'s and Elite riders have to compete at. All

of that was possible up and till about 1995 1998, but after that it became more and more a

problem because of trackdesign. Also the younger riders must have fun riding a BMX track with

jumps fitting their seize and capicities.

My RECOMMANDATION:

Insiders will understand this very well I quess. Depending on the level of organization and

experience in BMX in any country, there should be a seperation between recreation / competition

sport AND top sport (semi-pro's and pro's meaning: JUNIOR and ELITE Men and Women).

On an international level, specific events only for Junior and Elite riders on tracks suitable for them(call them A-tracks, WC-SX desing). With these events and level of riders, TV must be realized and

in this way TOP SPORT BMX should be the marketing tool for BMX. Creating Hero's!

As an example for Holland: I think professional organizations/businesses like NOC-NSF / BMX

Holland B.V. in Holland should run these events.

We still have to change our form of organzation as well. Instead of just a BMX committee running

events in a country, one should have 2 departments/divisions or whatever you will call them on

national nd maybe also international level:

1. A group coordinating/running the TOP SPORT section (professionals): Junior and Elite m/w

World wide at an international level, the GSX inc. (in order of the UCI).

2. A group coordinating/running the RECREATION / COMPETITION part of BMX

(volunteers/amatures).: all other classes.

For Europe at an international level the UEC for instance.

Each group with there own responsability and not to interfere with one and another.

In the Top Sport section riders should have a say too. Is their a riders committee at this moment

in the ranks of Junior and Elite m/w? Are their voices heared well and listend too?

These are just some headlines, details have to be worked on ofcourse.

USE THE CORRECT NAMES!In the past misundestandings at high level even on what BMX realy ment. To the outside people

BMX could mean tricks, free-style, street, stunts and racing. For years now Free-style BMX just use

the name BMX and that is very misleading indeed. In Europe BMX free-style / stunts can be seen

often on EURO-SPORT. Many outside BMX people think BMX IS stunts/free-style cycling.

Misunderstanding occur because of this, just as it did many years ago in the USA (NBC tv).

Marketing wise,be very clear where BMX stands for; BMX is Bicycle Moto-Cross.

If you talk free-style or street, call it like that, also publicity wise, so: BMX FREE-STYLE or

BMX STREET or BMX KoD or STUNTS-EXTREME, whatever.

Very important for good understanding by outside BMX people (TV, sponsors, spectators etc.)


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2011 Suggestions to Think About as Follow Up on Evaluation Sx Papendal - Holland 15-7-11