“BMX is definitely the richest way of cycling in Latvia in terms of sports achievements. The two final stages of the European Cup on the BMX track “Valmiera” of Māris Štrombergs, where the winners of the European Cup were announced, were the second biggest competition after the European Championship in Valmiera in 2019, “emphasizes Jānis Baiks (Valmiera and Vidzeme), Chairman of Valmiera Municipality Council .
Latvia has already applied for the European Championship 2024, and the possibility of applying for the World Cup is being considered.
The city management understands that such events develop sports tourism, allowing the venue and businesses to increase revenue. For example, the European BMX Championship in 2019, according to the organizers, attracted more than 800,000 euros to the Latvian economy, and the great response of the member states is mentioned as the main factor for such successful financial indicators. 1060 athletes from 26 countries took part in the championship.
“After the successful European Championship in Valmiera in 2019, we had earned good feedback and reputation in the international cycling unions both in Europe and worldwide. Therefore, the next step to apply for the organization of the European Cup stages seemed logical, ”explains Artis Ozols, Executive Director of the Latvian Cycling Federation (LRF).
The long break introduced by the Covid-19 pandemic essentially led the organizers of the event to return to their starting point, and once again had to be convinced that Latvia can and wants to host the best BMX athletes at home.
Ozols evaluates the past competition in Valmiera as a step closer to the goal, so that Latvia can once again organize the European Championship and apply for the World Cup stage.
It has already been reported that in the competitions of the 11th and 12th stages of the 2022 European BMX Cup on June 25 and 26, almost 400 athletes from 24 countries took part in the start of the Maris Stromberg track “Valmiera” every day.
The competition was organized by LRF, Valmiera municipality, Valmiera Olympic Center and BMX club “Valmieras puikas”.
It has already been reported that Veronika Stūriška took third place in the combined adult, U-23 and junior age group in the 11th European Cup on Saturday.
In the junior age group Kārlis Pedraudzis won a silver prize, but in the boys ‘competition aged 15-16 the best was Kristers Apels, while in the girls’ competition in this age group Paula Kibare won.
