Below the national velodrome of Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, the BMX stadium experienced a slight excitement at the end of the week. The end of the ballet of earthmoving machines, which resurfaced the track at the beginning of February, a sound system was doing its first tests, a few drivers were swallowing the bumps, the turns were adorned with a lilac tint, international coaches were measuring the track (“a little more “soft” due to its early youth), and the metallic echo of the starting gate lowering to the sound of the characteristic signal resonated in the distance behind the gates.
It was Thursday, severe morning showers had showered the immediate surroundings of the four straights and three bends of the indoor course, and severe gusts still gave some scares to the pilots mid-jump. Without an audience, journalists or photographers, the four days of the “operational test of BMX racing Paris 2024” – as the finish line banner indicated – were essentially devoted to technical and logistical aspects, relegating the purely sporting aspect to second plan. Spread over Saturday and Sunday, in the same format as next August, the competition itself was not a priority.
Two French people on the final podium
Of course, we could meet the British Olympic champion and double world champion Bethany Shriever, but not her male world alter ego, the Frenchman Romain Mahieu, exempt just like Joris Daudet, still in Australia and convalescing after his mid-clavicle fracture. February in the World Cup.
Over these four days, the French team fielded the vice-world champion Arthur Pilard, the vice-European champion Jérémy Rencurel and the young Matéo Colsenet, as well as Sylvain André, who returned to competition after his heavy fall at autumn. Among the women, Axelle Étienne and Camille Maire were also present.
Most of these two days were focused on a few competition-style confrontations, but also tests of material elements specific to the French clan. Sunday, among the men, the young Briton Ross Cullen, 6th at the World Championships in Glasgow, won ahead of a group shot from the Blues: Arthur Pilard took 2nd place, Jérémy Rencurel 3rd and Matéo Colsenet 4th. Among the women, Shriever won the final ahead of Swiss Zoé Claessens and Nadine Aeberhard.