If there was one stop you shouldn't have missed it was in La Chapelle St Mesmin the host of the first and second round of the European Bmx Championships.
The sun was out for the most part as well as the riders, 1280 to be exact, all came out to witness a technical yet power hungry track run by an efficient organization and wonderful club.
The first round of the Euros is where everyone comes to get a feel of things for the season to come. Lots of foreigners come from lands far and wide, not to play cards but to mix with the best riders in Europe and see how it might all end of at the finals in Cheddar, England come July.
Some riders who made the long trip came from Russia , but notably the rider from Hong Kong Steve Wong. Now it's just the beginning of BMX in Asia but what will it be like in 2008 with the Olympics in Beijing. The Canadian rider, Samantha Cools, came over as well after having ridden the weekend before in California and witnessed first hand the excellent level of Elite Women in Europe.
The track at La Chapelle is well known for big events having hosted most recently the French championships in 2004. It's located on the Loire River just outside of Orleans, France. For some this weekend seemed like a vacation, especially those from the North. The track offered the riders a challenge which in turn made it amusing for the spectators to watch. The second and last straights offered the biggest challenge with big jumps and steep rhythm sections. With so many riders the finals ran rather late and there was hardly enough light for the photo finish camera. |
[French Version] 
