BMX News: Elites Speak Out on SX Tracks Options

[MikeCarruth]

(IMG:http://www.bmxnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/elites_speak_out.jpg)

Just posted a gem of an article on the state of SX tracks from the rider's point of view.

A total of 10 Elite Men contributed to the story, and offered some very good feedback.

Read the Story Now on BMXNEWS.COM

...then, come on back here and give us your take on the story and the topic.


Best,

M

[Jason F.]

looks good, pretty much summed up what most of us were jabbering about, make it big enough to be fun but not stupid big and switch it up..

[sanjosebmx]

that was great, straight from the 'horses mouth' so to speak.. they do need to keep the SX elements, but like it was said, don't need to re-invent BMX. Chula had side by side racing and some passing...but Papendal was pretty boring really...

[TomTruxell]

Great Great story. "I will close by saying that, in my two-and-a-half-year tenure as editor of BMX News, this is the story I am most proud to have posted.

I love the fact that the Elites of the sport are getting involved shaping in their destiny, and that they articulated their views on this very important subject so well."

Like! Thanks to Mike and the Pros.

With our home track, I wonder about the same things cause we like to make changes. We like to make it challenging but there comes a point when you can make it not good for racing and not flow good. So you have to make the tracks great for racing, fast, flow good, and great to watch, and most of all fun.

[justride]

Looking at that pic in the OP, I really think that when the top riders of the world(these guys are supposed to be the best) cannot make it over an obstacle then it's time to go back to the drawing board.

[ILBMX]

Good read -

Thanks Mike.

[specialist]

Excellent article.

So good to see these racers speaking up for themselves and their fellow racers. And they are all basically telling us the same thing. The Papendal track was gimicky, over-the-top dangerous, and did not make for great racing. These guys are the best in the world and are THE BMX SX specialists. They may not directly design and build the tracks, however they know better than anyone else what makes for good SX racing, ie speed, flow, passing, and close finishes. Hope GSX and UCI are listening and make the necessary changes to the London Olympic track.

I'm a huge fan of these SX racers and appreciate their candor and honesty.

[TonyHoffman]

that was great, straight from the 'horses mouth' so to speak.. they do need to keep the SX elements, but like it was said, don't need to re-invent BMX. Chula had side by side racing and some passing...but Papendal was pretty boring really...

So boring that when i'm watching replays on bmx-videos i change the race at the box jump. It wasn't racing by the time the 2nd straight was accomplished.

[edwards]

We'll see if Johan and Ritz are done drinking GA's koolaid and listen to the Elite's and build it right from now on.

[lumpy]

Great read!! A lot of the opinions of the riders are the same as mine as a spectator..

Brian

[woodybmx86]

We'll see if Johan and Ritz are done drinking GA's koolaid and listen to the Elite's and build it right from now on.

Papendal's track is nothing to do with GA's design. Ritz and johan foot the blame for that one. I was told at X-mas what the track would be like... it sounded cool to ride, and yeah, by itsefl, seemed to be. RAcing, whole nother ball game. lol.

[cg64]

Awesome article and glad to see riders saying what they think,

I hope the guys in charge are taking note of what has been said since the race, not only in this article, but all over the internet. Never before has a track/race caused such a stir so clearly this means something has gone too far.
For everybody's sake (mainly the riders) i hope they make the correct changes to the potential Olympic track, and Supercross tracks in the future to make the racing more fun, safe and exciting for everyone

[Mike Fields]

This was a really fascinating read. Riders who battle each other, in general, all agreeing that they don't want to be the sideshow, they want to RACE. Which BTW is better for the sport.

All the tracks in the past two years have had no such concerns or outward complaints like Papendal. And no disrespect to the folks who put on the race - it looked and appeared to be awesome.

I think the best comment I saw on facebook was one by a Euro rider who said the Papendal track was a "circus and we riders are the clowns".

Hardly the way top world athletes should feel on there way to represent their countries.

Surprised none of the talented French rider's feedback was inlcuded as we've all seen Thomas Hamon's thoughts and Godet and Dodet allegedly had the same concerns. I'd hate to think there was cencorship going on.

[DutchDevl]

Surprised none of the talented French rider's feedback was inlcuded as we've all seen Thomas Hamon's thoughts and Godet and Dodet allegedly had the same concerns. I'd hate to think there was cencorship going on.

I would not call that censorship.. I would not be surprised those guys were way too focused on preparing for the Euro's round 7&8 to think back to Papendal this week.
They are highly professional riders that do not linger but move on.

About the responses.. I think both Sam and Marc had some great responses. The riders want to race, as Sam said, was a very important thing. You saw at the start of SX that a lot of races on those first tracks also became strings, but when riders learned to handle the more challenging tracks SX became racing again and indeed you had 5 man mad scrambles to the finish line again in Chula.
Now they bring the SX tracks to a more challenging level yet again and kill the Racing part of BMX Racing once more.
This has always been my major critique on SX, so I cannot help but agree with Sam there.

Also Marc put it perfectly when it said Papendal had everything an Olympic track should have. But it was just too much too soon. It is a major risk to put so many new things in one track and there is something on every straight that riders are not happy with now. The first straight Berm jump, the Hip jump, the Box Jump, the too big/technical third straight and the fourth straight being too much after an already long and exhausting track.
Too much at one time is what best describes Papendal. Cut down half those things by, for example, removing the box jump and bringing more flow to the third straight again (very easy changes!), and the track will be 100% better than it is right now.

Thanks for the great post BMXNews.com

[MikeCarruth]

Surprised none of the talented French rider's feedback was inlcuded as we've all seen Thomas Hamon's thoughts and Godet and Dodet allegedly had the same concerns. I'd hate to think there was cencorship going on.

No censorship on this end, Mike. I posted all of the responses I received, in full (in fact, taking pains NOT to edit down the riders' words).

The questionnaire was sent out on Wednesday, and I waited until Sunday night to post the story...both to allow plenty of time for riders to get their response prepared, and also because I wanted this in the Monday "news cycle."

If there are any male Elites out there who either: A). did not submit a response, but now would like to; or B). did not receive the questionnaire, but would like to respond, please send your response to: mike (at) bmxnews.com, and I will add your feedback into the article (the beauty of online media).

Best,

M