On 29 June 2003, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) decided to include men's and women's BMX, or bicycle motocross, in the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China. This was the first time that BMX is listed as an official Olympic event in the Olympic Games history. As there is a strict limit on the number of participants in the Olympic Games, many outstanding cyclists are denied a chance to compete in the Games. However, the BMX World Cup allows more cyclists to join the competition, making it more exciting and competitive.

More than one hundred riders to compete in Beijing

At a pre-tournament press conference Cai Jiadong, president of the organizing committee and director of the Cycling and Fencing Administrative Center under the General Administration of Sport, briefed the media about preparations for the upcoming event. The 2007 UCI BMX Supercross World Cup has attracted a total of 147 top-notch cyclists, including 44 women, from 21 countries and regions. If the International Cycling Union approves Hungary's application to join in this World Cup, the number of the participating teams will be 22.

The event is not only part of an annual series organized by the UCI but also another qualifying competition for Beijing 2008. Through this competition, the riders can get to know about the venue and warm up for next year's Olympic Games.

Women's event included for the first time

The 2007 UCI BMX Supercross World Cup has two events: men's sprint and women's sprint, which are divided into four phases, namely time trials for points ranking, quarterfinals, semifinals and finals. Through time trials the riders are divided into groups according to their results to avoid top athletes meeting each other too early before the finals.

According to Cai Jiadong, "the most distinct feature of this year's World Cup is that the women's event is added for the first time, which gives women riders a good opportunity to compete with each other and get to know the venue before the Olympics. As the second leg of this year's UCI World Cup series, the competition schedule and system, and the conditions of the venue in Beijing are all designed up to the standards of the Olympic Games."

Team China: No rivals, only friends

The bicycle motocross, a new type of cycling, started in the late 1960s in the United States. It was not until the end of the 1990's that the sport was introduced to China. However, it remained an amateur event dominated by private clubs and amateur riders. What were more popular at the time were such bicycle stunts as wallride, something like an extreme sport, and not the BMX sprint we are talking about today. After 2003, when BMX was included in the 2008 Olympic Games by the IOC, China began to promote the development of this sport.

Practised by more than 100 riders from 10 provinces and municipalities, BMX in China, especially the women's event, has grown very fast in no more than four years' time. Chinese women riders are now in a leading position in Asia, among them Ma Liyun even won the women's sprint title at the Asian Championships held in Thailand last May. In the meantime, Chinese men riders also rank high in Asia, most of the time between third and fifth places.

As for the lineup of the Chinese team in this year's World Cup, Cai Jiadong revealed that China will field four men and four women riders in the tournament. "We have 28 more riders from six provinces and municipalities registered for the event according to the rules, among whom 12 are women," he said. "However, on the whole China still has a long way to go to catch up with the high international level." Cai added. "We have difficulty qualifying for the Olympic Games, so we have to rely on the wild card. That's why we don't set any goals for the 2008 Olympic Games."

When asked who would be China's biggest rivals at this World Cup, Cai Jiadong said, "China is now lagging far behind the world in this sport, so I think at present we have no rivals at all, all we have are friends." His humorous remarks aroused a burst of laughter from those present.