Cycling was a great success story at the Rio Olympics on a number of fronts. Track, road and off-road cycling got some fantastic coverage and the athletes that work so hard behind the scenes won some well deserved recognition. The medalists have been celebrated, we already covered the British track cycling team’s success in Rio, however it was one of cycling's less traditional cousins that won a lot of media attention thanks to some US success and a format made for TV viewing.
BMX - the Surprise Package at Rio
It wasn’t BMX’s debut at the Olympics, it first appeared in Beijing in 2008, however the peculiar sport gained more US media coverage this year thanks a US men's gold and women’s silver. Connor Fields won gold in the hotly contested men’s final, securing the USA’s first ever gold in BMX, while Alise Post won silver behind defending champion Mariana Pajon of Colombia.
An Unusual Spectacle
Google tweeted during the Olympics that the most common #Olympic search was "Why are #BMX bikes so small?" The answer: so they can jump higher and further. Eight riders line up for a points race through an obstacle course that consists of sharp turns and big jumps. Falls and big crashes are common as riders jostle for position on the turns in front of a closely packed stadium crowd. It can be gladiatorial at times, with riders sometimes limping over the line, at times running with their bikes to stay alive in the points race.
For the purists, track and road cycling events are where the sport starts and finishes however, for the non-initiated, BMX provides a short-burst form of entertainment that is a combination of drama, crashes and excitement all crammed into 30 seconds. Some Olympic purists may not be overjoyed with the sports inclusion but if the success of the sport is judged by attendance then BMX looks set to stay.
For the purists, track and road cycling events are where the sport starts and finishes however, for the non-initiated, BMX provides a short-burst form of entertainment that is a combination of drama, crashes and excitement all crammed into 30 seconds. Some Olympic purists may not be overjoyed with the sports inclusion but if the success of the sport is judged by attendance then BMX looks set to stay.
