From 10 to 13 July, Valmiera (Latvia) will host the 2025 BMX Racing European Championships, one of the most prestigious and eagerly-awaited events on the Union Européenne de Cyclisme’s calendar.
1,272 athletes from 26 countries will take part in the event, competing for European titles in the Men's and Women's Juniors, Under 23, Elite and Challenge categories.
The Valmiera BMX track, dedicated to Māris Štrombergs, the discipline's first and also double Olympic gold medalist, is considered one of the most emblematic facilities on the continent. It has already hosted top-level competitions, including the European Championships in 2019 and several rounds of the UEC BMX Racing European Cup. It is renowned for its modernity and technical features, making it a benchmark for BMX, not just in Europe but worldwide.
Some of the biggest names on the international scene will be at the start.
In the Men's Elite category, Great Britain's Kye Whyte will be one of the big favourites, along with his compatriot Ross Cullen, a key figure this year with some excellent performances in the European Cup, while France will field Arthur Pilard, the reigning European champion, and Mathis Ragot-Richard, known for his excellent technical skills and consistent performance.
In the Women's Elite category, we expect Switzerland's Zoé Claessens, two-time European champion and Olympic bronze medalist and a permanent presence at the top of the World Cup. The title will be contested by Laura Smulders (Netherlands), an experienced athlete and multiple European and world medallist, and another Swiss, Nadine Aeberhard, who has grown rapidly and become increasingly important in recent seasons.
In the Women's Under 23 category, the spotlight will be on Latvia's Veronika Stūriška, reigning European and World Champion and currently considered one of the most talented riders in international BMX, and Spain's Clara Gomez. In the Men's Under 23 category, France's Alexis Pieczanowsky, 2024 European champion, will be the star performer.
Enrico Della Casa, President of the Union Européenne de Cyclisme: "Valmiera is one of the emblematic tracks on the European and international BMX Racing scene, a facility of excellence and a real European pride. We are returning to Latvia, to this facility which, along with Verona (Italy), is one of the UEC's two European BMX Centres, to award the continental titles in a place that has always combined organisational excellence and passion.
Thanks to the television coverage guaranteed by Eurovision, the event will benefit from enormous visibility, which will raise the profile of our athletes and the discipline even further. I sincerely thank the Latvian Federation, its President Sandis Āķis and the Organising Committee for the competence and dedication with which they have supported the movement and our events for years."
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