BMX Racing: the ins, outs, ups & downs

Imagine a 400m sprint, but on bikes. With a giant hill for a start line, jumps, berms, no lanes, and crashes. That’s BMX Racing - and it's amazing!

Riders can approach up to 40mph thanks to insanely powerful legs, but they also need a superhuman level of courage to survive in a competitive field of eight. They’re not allowed to intentionally obstruct each other’s racing line, but the action is elbow-to-elbow and wheel-to-wheel, so collisions and wipeouts do happen.

When you combine that chaos with single lap sprints that are over in 30-40 seconds, the discipline can be tricky for first-time spectators to follow.

Glasgow BMX Centre’s track is 400m long and features twists, turns and obstacles that will test the raw acceleration, track skills and racing smarts of the world’s best BMXers. 

Here’s some track lingo to get you up to speed:

• BERM - a banked corner. Riders lean into these to exit with more speed.
• DOUBLE - two bumps that make up one obstacle. Get ready for takeoff.
• ROLLER - small bumps. Despite their size, they’re still a problem. Or an opportunity!
• STARTING HILL - a steeply angled drop just after the start gate. The laws of physics mean this makes riders start fast… and stay fast.
• STEP UP - a small hill, then a big hill. Riders need to jump their bikes here.
• STEP DOWN - a big hill, then a small hill = even more speed.

Riders face four phases on their sprint to glory and they have one thing in common: they’re a rush!

In Round One, the top four finishers progress to Qualifying - job done. 

Riders that didn’t make the cut have another opportunity in the Last Chance round, but only a first or second place will see them progress. So with an early flight home on the cards for the majority of the field, these races are guaranteed to be spicy.

Riders that make the cut to Qualifying face another elimination round, and again, only a top four finish keeps them in the competition. 

And for those that make it as far as the Final, the only places that matter are first, second and third.

There are many UCI World Championships - 13 will be represented at the 2023 UCI Cycling World Champs - but few can match the sheer spectacle of BMX Racing.

Every adrenaline-fuelled jump, spill and sprint will be matched by the crowd too, with max decibel roars pushing riders beyond their limits as they pedal for pride and a place at the podium… where a true hero's welcome awaits.

So if you’re lucky enough to be in Glasgow for the event, don’t be shy.

Cheer like the riders depend on your energy - because their energy depleted legs do!

Champions and challengers will head to the Glasgow BMX Centre this August all with the dream of pulling on the coveted, and iconic, rainbow stripes. But only a handful will come away with the ultimate prize. 

Everyone's capable of becoming UCI World Champion, but we've pulled out a few riders for you to keep an eye on...

BMX Racing is edge-of-your-saddle stuff that’ll captivate the crowds at the Glasgow BMX Centre from the first race to the final.