The UCI’s new BMX World Cycling Centre team (Photo: UCI)
At stickybottle we thought you’d be interested in this story from the UCI about the new team selected for the live-in BMX programme at the organisations World Cycling Centre in Aigle, Switzerland.
Ireland already has one rider – track sprinter Eoin Mullen – who’s been awarded a scholarship for the centre and is currently living and training there. At just 18 years old, he made his big-time senior international debut at the UCI World Cup on the London Velodrome two weeks ago.
If he can do it in the track discipline, maybe there’s a young Irish BMX rider ripping around the BMX tracks at Ratoath or Cherry Orchard right now who’ll get a place on the Aigle centre’s BMX programme in the new few years.
Advertisement
The story below explains a little about the programme so we thought it was worth sharing with you.
Over the next seven months, the lives of fourteen talented young BMX athletes will revolve around the World Cycling Centre in Aigle, Switzerland.
These three women and eleven men from nine different countries have nearly all arrived at the centre in Aigle, Switzerland, where WCC coach Thomas Allier will help them develop their talent and their potential so that they can achieve their goals.
For all of them, these goals include the UCI BMX World Championships in Birmingham (GBR) in May.
Some can even aim higher: three or four have a chance to qualify for the London Olympics, according to Allier.
“It’s my dream to go to the Olympics,” says South Africa’s Teagan O’Keeffe, training at the WCC for her third season.
“I would really like to represent my country.”
Related News
To do so she needs a semi-final placing at the Worlds. She has arrived at the WCC more motivated than ever and in a positive frame of mind after finishing the 2011 season on a positive note.
She was particularly delighted with her qualification for the semi-finals of the London round of the 2011 UCI BMX Supercross.
Ecuador’s Fausto Endara is also back at the WCC to maximise his chances for an Olympic qualification. Having already spent a season at the WCC, Fausto knows his coach well and is familiar with the infrastructures, which include a Supercross track, indoor facilities and gym. He is therefore ready to get straight down to work.
“I already trained with Thomas last year so I know how he works and what I need to do to improve.”
He also looks forward to training with the other athletes, all as motivated as he: “That’s the best. If you train by yourself it’s not so good. You’ve got to have someone to push you.”
Despite this internal rivalry, the athletes strike up very close friendships, adds Thomas Allier.
“The good thing about this discipline is that it creates a very close-knit group. The athletes become good friends.”
For the moment, Thomas Allier is observing this new young intake, some of whom have been spotted during races, others recommended by their National Federations.
“They all have a different level. I know some of these athletes very well already, but others not. For the moment we are in a phase of adaptation and evaluation. Depending on the results of this, I will establish a personalised programme for each athlete.”
During their season at the WCC, all will race in European competitions. All will participate in the 2012 UCI BMX Supercross. All will compete in the World Championships. And some may even live their Olympic dream…
[wpbrad id="18"]
