Watching Maris Strombergs pull ahead out of the gate and never look back to take Olympic gold in the BMX Cycling event was nothing short of amazing. The course was an immaculately groomed work of art, enabling the racers to hit speeds of 40mph and above. Instead of staying in lanes like 100m sprinters, the riders are given free reign of the track all at once. Once the eight riders leave the gate, they are unrestricted and may throw elbows, drop shoulders, and do whatever it may take to cross the finish line first.
As a BMX street rider, it’s easy to focus on the differences between my discipline and that which takes place on Olympic-regulated racetracks. The bikes in racing are  … More