It was a record edition of the European Championships that ended on Sunday at the BMX Olympic Arena in Verona. 1,945 athletes from 25 different countries competed in BMX European Challenge races with six titles up for grabs in the Elite category (men and women) and in the Juniors category.
For three days, the city of Romeo and Juliet was the capital of this spectacular discipline which was a complete sell out with a total of more than 10,000 spectators.
The technical level of this continental event was high. For the first time in Verona in the time-trial, the title was awarded to the Juniors double champion (2012 and 2013), the Frenchman Romain Mahieu, and the young Dutch rider Merel Smulders who also won the title in the Juniors Women two days later. The Juniors Men’s race was won by the French rider, Mathis Ragot-Richard, in second place was the Swiss rider Cedric Butti and in third place the Irishman Paddy Sharrock. There was a German win in the Elite Women’s category with Sarah Sailer being awarded the gold medal, ahead of the French rider Marine Lacoste and Sandra Aleksejva (Lithuania).
The final of the Elite Men’s category was particularly emotional and hard-fought as it was won by the Dutch rider, Raymon van der Biezen who ended his wonderful career in the best way possible since the continental event in Verona was his last race. Second place went to the Swiss rider David Graf and third place to the Frenchman Sylvain Andre.
David Lappartient, President of the Union Européenne de Cyclisme: «The Verona edition of the BMX European Championships will remain etched in everyone’s memory for a long time. 1,945 athlètes from 25 countries gave to all their fans three days of great sport, but they were above all competitors in a unique event with good sporting spirit. The great crowds that this event drew is the best possible proof of the excellent work of the BMX Verona Team managed by Paolo Fantoni, who wanted a spectacular discipline like BMX to be a great success with the public and the footage broadcast by EBU/Eurovision gave this event superb visibility.»
The 2017 edition of the BMX European Championships will be held in Bordeaux (France) from 14 to 16 July.
