Olympians Leila Walker and Rico Bearman lead the kiwi contingent as the international season begins with the UCI BMX Racing World Cup in Sarrians, France this weekend.

While last year’s BMX Racing World Cup began in New Zealand and Australia, the racing season has ventured back to its heartland in Europe with two double-rounds in France and Netherlands ahead of the July World Championships in the Danish capital of Copenhagen.

Walker is edging back into competition after three months off the bike following surgery on her foot from a training accident, and is not putting too much pressure on herself this weekend.

“I feel quite strong and fit from a lot of rehab work and cross-training. Now I need to get more comfortable back on the track now,” said the Cambridge rider.

“It was a long time off the bike and this will be my first international race of the season. I will use the first two World Cups to get into the groove again, back to racing with the girls and getting some gates under me.”

Walker, who made her Olympic debut in Paris and was a finalist in last year’s world championships, will face a strong line-up. It includes Olympic champion Saya Sakakibara (AUS) and two medallists from last year’s world final in Zoe Claessens (SUI) and Daleny Vaughn (USA).

Walker will be joined by Rotorua’s Megan Williams in the elite competition, with Lily Greenough (Cambridge) riding in the under-23 class. Unfortunately Te Awamutu rider Brooke Penny (Te Awamutu) was injured in the French Cup event at Sarrians last weekend and has withdrawn from the weekend

Lily Greenough, who will make her World Cup debut, won her class at the French Cup at the weekend, following on from finishing runner-up in junior elite at last year’s world championships.

Bearman, sixth in last year’s world championship final, is fresh from an enjoyable New Zealand summer training, with stints racing in USA and a training block in Australia. After riding in USA for Speedco in recent years, Bearman has moved to English-based team BeStrong and feels refreshened for the new campaign.

“My team manager left and I was approached by BeStrong so felt it was a good opportunity and it’s proved refreshing,” said Bearman.

“Everything is going well. I felt I had good training over the summer and my last two training sessions with the fast people felt good. So I am ready to see how I go.”

He has been training with “the fast guys” including Paris Olympic medallists, Romain Mahieu and Sylvain Andre plus 2022 world champion Simon Marquart.

North Harbour veteran, Michael Bias joins Bearman in the kiwi elite competition, after a strong 2024 season and with the benefit of racing regularly in the powerful French club competition in recent years.

The New Zealand under-23 males comprise Finn Cogan (East City, Auckland), Jack Greenough (Cambridge), Cooper Richardson (North Harbour) and Nick Cowie (Southland), who is now based in Cambridge.

Jack Greenough won the opening round at the 2024 UCI BMX Racing World Cup in Rotorua, while Cogan was second in the junior elite class in the French Cup event on the Sarrians track at the weekend.

There are two rounds of the UCI BMX Racing World Cup at Sarrians on Saturday and Sunday, with two further rounds on 21 and 22 June at Papendal, Netherlands. Focus then moves to the world championships in Copenhagen from July 28 to August 3 followed by the final World Cup double rounds in Santiago Del Estero, Argentina in September.

The New Zealand contingent racing this weekend are:

Female, Under-23: Lily Greenough (Cambridge), Brooke Penny (Te Awamutu).

Elite: Leila Walker (Cambridge), Megan Williams (Rotorua)

Male, Under-23: Finn Cogan (East City, Auckland), Jack Greenough (Cambridge), Cooper Richardson (North Harbour), Nick Cowie (Southland).

Elite: Michael Bias (North Harbour), Rico Bearman (North Harbour)