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Pioneers 2008

CORGUILLÉ Le Laëtitia (France)

2008 European Champion
2006 European Champion
2005 European Champion

2010 Supercross World Cup
2009 Supercross World Cup
2007 Supercross World Cup

DOES Nico (Holland)

Nico-DoesSpecial recoqnition European Hall of Fame

At the age of 6 (1976) Nico was already riding BMX bikes, which his uncle Pierre Karsmakers (former MX Dutch and USA National Champion) imported from the USA in the late '70s.

Officialy Nico was the first license holder in Holland and probably in Europe with an official registrated organisation. At the time his skills were very exceptional. Even in the USA, were he competed at the JAG BMX World Championships in 1979, American riders, among them several Pro's, were astonished by his technic and skills of ND doing one-handers, no-footers and such.

Besides racing, Later on Nico started his own company building and selling BMX bikes. He started WEBCO Bicycles in 1991. Up till this day (ending 2001) Nico is involved in building these bikes and selling them.

KD Quality Products AG, owned by Albert Knill in Switzerland, works with Nico on this. (KD stands for, Knill Does).

Besides all of this Nico still is actif as a trainer/coach on local level with his club "F.C.C. Lion d'Or" in Valkenswaard - Holland, on National level with the KNWU regional training sessions and at International level, when invited to give training/seminars and so on.

More then 25 years he has been involved in the sport of BMX and still lives the sport a loves. Nico never won a European or World title, did win several Dutch national titles and 2 third places at World Championships (Indianapolis-USA and Brisbane-Australia) but for sure deserves his place in the European BMX Hall of Fame as BMX racer/promoter of the absolute "first hour of the sport".

More information on Nico can be found in his University of BMX Advisor CV.

Inducted in 2001

DOES Pieter (Holland)

Pieter-Does-August-79-BMX-track-Eindhoven-5yoSpecial recoqnition European Hall of Fame

A pioneer rider. still active in the sport (without a break) and competing at the highest level, celebrates his 25th anniversary in the sport in July 2004, has been nominated: Pieter Does, Holland. Update: end year 2004 Pieter Does stopped racing.

For more information about Pieter Does, check out his profile.

Inducted in 2004

 

HEIDKAMP Uli (Germany)

Uli-Heidtkamp-2003-Old-Skool-Reunion-Dessel-BSpecial recoqnition European Hall of Fame

Uli was one of the first BMX racers in Germany. Started in 1979 and competed in his first international race in 1980 at the AVRO GOLD CUP TV event in Waalre-Holland. In the early days, Uli was the "face" of German BMX.

In his country he was a trend-setter at the time because he was racing in the oldest age-class at the time (16+). BMX was new and many people found it kind of strange, boys of about 16 year and older riding these small 20" BMX bikes.

Uli's dad Helmut Heidtkamp, was one of the first pioneers of BMX in Germany in the Cologne area and did a great job getting BMX off the ground as an organised sport and promoting the sport of BMX in general.

1980-Uli-Heidtkamp-Gerrit-Does-helping-out-during-the-AVRO-TVBy nominating Uli, we also honour his dad (died in the early '90 of cancer) for his pioneer work.

Inducted in 2001

History of BMX (2007 - 2008)

YEAR 2007.

April: OLYMPIC GAMES 2008 medals revealed. 

Dear friends in BMX,

It seems the Olympic virus is finally catching on. During the past 2 months, more and more publications and interviews were published in local and regional newspapers and magazines here in Holland. This gives a really good feeling, still there is a small critical note to make. Even after almost 30 years of BMX in Holland (right now I am talking about the situation in Holland only, on this subject) reporters find it necessary and it probably is, to explain once again, what the sport of BMX is all about, stands for etc.

Just recently the BOCOG, or better the Chinese organizing committee of the 2008 Olympics Beijing, revealed the remarkable Olympic Medals. This presentation took place in Beijing – China on the 500 days before the start of the 2008 Olympics. The medals do weight 150 grams and are a little bit bigger then the medals issued in Greece. On the backside these medals do have a typical Chinese design of jade. The competition to design the official medals did have 265 entries. The design of the Central Academy of Art in Beijing did win this competition. In all, 6000 Olympic medals will be produced.

update_april_2007_revealing_the_olympic_medals_2008

LYNCH Tom (England)

Tom-Lynch1986 European Champion

Special recoqnition European Hall of Fame

Tom Lynch, one of the most successful British riders who managed to rake the Superclass by storm when he was only 16 years old (in 1986). Tom stated "I still have me verses TEAM AMEV dreams". Insiders know exactly what Tom means by this!

Tom started out as a moto-cross rider but switched to BMX in 1980, competed in his first BMX events in 1982 and Tom finished his career in 1994.

NICOLAS Philippe (France)

1980 Philippe Nicolas of France with young Pieter Does HollandSpecial recoqnition European Hall of Fame

One can call Philippe the pioneer and trend setter for French BMX.

He was the first ever National Champion of France in the oldest age class in 1979.

Philippe was a good promoter for BMX, competed also in the AVRO GOLD CUP TV event in Waalre-Holland in August 1980.

Inducted in 2001

NYBERG Andreas (Sweden)

1985 Andreas NybergSpecial recoqnition European Hall of Fame

Another pioneer rider has been nominated, Andreas Nyberg from Sweden.

Andreas was the first ever Swedish BMX racer in the, at the time, oldest age class and the first one from Sweden to compete in international events, among others, the 1983 I.BMX.F. Worlds in Holland and the Murray World Cup in Nashville Tennessee, USA.

Andreas still runs a Bicycle and BMX shop in Sweden.

Inducted in 2004

REDOIS Xavier (France)

xavier redois 1984Special recoqnition European Hall of Fame

Xavier started racing BMX early 1979 and can be considered one of the pioneer BMX racers of France and leaded the way for a long period of time.

He never won a European and/or World title in the highest level class, however he still was a leading figure in International BMX for many years, together with Claude Vuillemot and David Kastler.

xavier redois 1987Xavier is still involved in BMX due to his profession working for a bicycle company in England.

A man who had to be nominated for the European Hall of Fame of BMX.

Inducted in 2001

SCHADOWSKI Rainer (Germany)

Special recoqnition European Hall of Fame

Rainer-Schadowski-2003-Old-Skool-Reunion-Dessel

Rainer started riding BMX bikes in 1980 and competed in an official event for the first time in 1982. He was one of the first German BMX'ers to travel with Gerrit Does to events in the USA in the early '80s.

Together with his Dad, Rainer started a BMX shop called "Rainer's Bike Shop". This shop still exists today. Since a couple of years, an Old Skool reunion takes place in Weiterstadt - Germany around September and among others, Rainer is one of the organisers of this event.

Rainer still rides his bike ('80's) once and a while.

As a leading, pioneer racer in the early days his nomination is a form of respect for the pioneer work he did.

Inducted in 2001

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