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Olympic Champion 1979

History of BMX (1978 - 1979)

Year 1978.

1978 - Europeans discover BMX in the USA.

The ABA makes the decision to expand nationally. First ABA national race held in Azusa, California. First large pro purse ($1,000.00) offered at a major race by the ABA.

Kyle Flemmingbecame ABA's first number 1 Amature. Kyle was riding for DG at the time. A couple of years later, Kyle was killed in a car-train accident going with 3 others to a BMX race. I will come back to this tragic event later on.

Again, this was the year I got involved in BMX seriously. I organized the official introduction of the sport of BMX during the international moto-cross event at Valkenswaard in March 1978. A group of about 10 riders did give a demonstration of BMX racing. An unofficial BMX organization was founded (not registered/recognized by the official authorities) on May 16th. 1978 by yours truly, called: "Eerste Nationale Fietscross Organisatie" (1st National BMX Organization).

Around this time, I contacted the municipality of Eindhoven with the request to put at our disposal a piece of land on which a track could be build. In the meantime, I got in contact with Louis Vrijdag (whom I knew from the moto-cross sport), at the time he was working for the municipality of Eindhoven, who also learned about this BMX activity because of his job. Louis and I found eachother and understood each other well and this cooperation led to the foundation of the S.F.N. "Stichting Fietscross Nederland" later on this year. 

KIMMANN Niek (Holland)

2015 World Champion

2016 World Champion

2018 World Cup

2019 European Champion

2019 World Cup

2021 Olympic Champion

2021 World Champion

PAJÓN Mariana (Colombia)

2016 Olympic Champion
2016 World Champion
2014 World Champion
2012 Olympic Champion
2011 World Champion
2010 World Champion

ŠTROMBERGS Māris (Latvia)

2008 first ever Olympic BMX Champ Maris Stromberg2012 Olympic Champion
2008 Olympic Champion

2010 World Champion
2008 World Champion

2014 European Champion
2013 European Champion
2008 European Champion

2010 Supercross World Cup