The Australian Cycling Team is pleased to announce the Athlete Memberships across all disciplines for 2020/21.

In all, 62 athletes will feature across the Para-cycling Track and Road (15), Track Sprint and Endurance (17), BMX Race and Freestyle (7), Road (13), and Podium Potential Academy (10) programs after being classified in the Podium, Podium Ready and Podium Potential categories. About the Australian Cycling Team Pathway. 

The Para-cycling (Track and Road) memberships include reigning Paralympic and world champions Carol Cooke and David Nicholas, plus Emily Petricola and Darren Hicks in a 15-athlete squad.  

The Track program is highlighted by Matthew Glaetzer, Stephanie Morton, Annette Edmondson and Samuel Welsford and welcomes three new members in Matthew Richardson (Sprint), Maeve Plouffe and Lucas Plapp (Endurance) who have progressed through the Podium Potential Academy^ pathway. 

In BMX, three athletes - Natalya Diehm (BMX Freestyle) and Lauren Reynolds and Izaac Kennedy (BMX Race) will receive Individual Athlete Performance Support (IAPS) memberships. The trio joins reigning world champion Brandon Loupos, 2017 world champion Logan Martin, plus Saya Sakakibara and Anthony Dean. 

Amanda Spratt, Chloe Hosking, Rohan Dennis and Michael Matthews headline the Road IAPS memberships, with five new athlete memberships to be provided to Brodie Chapman, Grace Brown, Sarah Gigante, Jay McCarthy and Lucas Hamilton.   

The Podium Potential Academy has inducted four new members in Leigh Hoffman (Sprint), Ruby Roseman-Gannon and Joshua Duffy (Endurance/Road), in addition to Kristina Clonan who will transition from the Podium Track Endurance to the Academy’s Sprint program. Caitlin Ward (Sprint) will receive transitional support as she exits the program.

The Para-cycling (Track and Road) will see six riders exit the program in Kieran Murphy, Brad Henderson (retirement), Michael Shippley, Darcy Thompson, plus Tandem pilots Lachlan Glasspool and Luke Zaccaria.  The latter four will transition to their respective High-Performance Network (HPN) state-based programs. 

Macey Stewart and Cameron Scott will exit the Podium Track Endurance program, while in Road, Rachel Neylan, Gracie Elvin, Shara Gillow, Nathan Haas, Luke Durbridge, and Richie Porte exited in December 2019.

Caroline Buchanan (BMX Race) has not been offered a new BMX IAPS membership, however, she will receive transitional support until August 2020. Kai Sakakibara (BMX Race) is receiving support as he continues recovery and rehabilitation following a racing accident in February.
  
“As we continue to prepare for the resumption of racing, and ultimately the Olympics and Paralympics in 2021, the confirmation of athlete memberships gives everyone a chance to continue to sharpen their focus on their preparation and individual progress and development,” said Simon Jones, Australian Cycling Team Performance Director. 

“I would like to thank those team members exiting the program for their commitment to their own personal development and to the Australian Cycling Team program as a whole. 

“Re-entry to the program for these athletes is possible. Sometimes, stepping back and taking time away from something can be a way to move forward if their ambition and desire remain.”

^ About the Podium Potential Academy - Launched in November 2018 with an inaugural class of thirteen athletes across both endurance and sprint disciplines, the PPA programme, which is supported and partly funded by Commonwealth Games Australia, focuses on the long term development of athletes orientated around success at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games and through to the 2024 Olympic Games and beyond.
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Australian Cycling Team Athlete Membership 2020/2021 - Full list (PDF)

The #AusCyclingTeam’s ‘30 from 30 Series’ featured current and former Australian Cycling Team athletes, coaches and staff showing us the different, creative and unique ways they are keeping healthy and active both physically and mentally, and staying connected while in isolation or lockdown across Australia and the world.  

Day 64 - Easter Sunday

It’s been a tough 9 weeks so far with huge uncertainty and massive challenges for Kai, he has been fighting all the way and is making good progress. We’re eternally grateful for the support Kai has been receiving from friends and people who know him either personally or via social media, it’s a great boost for us in these difficult times. 

As a family, we have been focussed on Kai but we have realised that there are many people who feel as we do and are genuinely concerned. Updates have been hard because of the uncertainty around Kai’s condition so they have been vague in places. However, we all know Kai has always been open and honest in his social media posts even during the difficult times and we will try to do the same with the updates so everyone will have a better understanding of what is going on. We believe Kai would want you all to be with him on this journey wherever it goes.

A lot has been happening since the last Kai update 2 weeks ago and while there is positive news there is also the gradual understanding of just how serious Kai’s injury is.
The first piece of good news is Kai’s operations have finished; he now has a cool scar on his head which will be covered up as his hair grows back. We were lucky to have everything done before the Coronavirus put a halt on all non-essential surgery.

More exciting news Kai has finally left Canberra hospital after nearly 8 weeks and has moved to BIRU (Brain Injury Rehabilitation Unit) in Liverpool. We have been told he can expect to be there for many months. The move is good for a number of reasons: 1. from a medical perspective he is well enough to leave the hospital; 2. he can start on the rehabilitation process; 3. he is closer to home; and, 4. BIRU is probably one of the safest places he can be during the Covid-19 virus pandemic.

Ten days ago when Kai arrived at BIRU he was able to respond to questions by pointing to ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ written on a piece of paper. Since then he has started to speak a little so does not need the paper anymore which is a great step. He can respond to simple questions but is still very confused. The crash has impacted the part of his brain responsible for speech, so the words are jumbled up and unclear - they just don’t come out how he wants which is frustrating for him. Sometimes he gets annoyed and sometimes he just puts on that patient Kai smile and we move on.

Kai has his phone and scrolls through social media every day, he ‘likes’ posts and tries to send text messages to friends but they are invariably scrambled. So, if you get a text from Kai don’t worry his account has not been hacked, he’s just trying to get in touch with people. Feel free to respond but don’t expect anything to make much sense at the moment.

So, Kai continues to ‘emerge’ from the state of unconsciousness, and we are super excited to start communicating with him. However, as time progresses it becomes more and more evident that this has been a truly serious injury. The doctors tell us Kai has a TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury) on the left side of his brain which is severely impacting his ability to move the right side of his body and also his ability to speak amongst other things. We have been told that Kai will have some permanent disability.

Rehabilitation has started, Kai has been undergoing a number of different types of therapy; Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy and Speech Therapy. He is making solid improvements. It is all extremely tiring; one hour of physiotherapy in the morning will make him tired for the rest of the day, as you can imagine he always puts in 100% so this is to be expected. Next Tuesday we (Yuki, Saya and Martin) have a meeting with the therapists to define goals for Kai for the next four weeks. It’s really good to finally start on a structured program and we’re really looking forward to being part of Kai’s rehabilitation.

The Covid-19 pandemic brings an extra layer of challenges around Kai’s situation. We have to be super careful he does not get the Coronavirus, luckily he is in a safe place in Liverpool BIRU. As a family, we are limited to one visitor at a time so we rotate our visits so one of us will be there with him every day. We’re usually there most of the day from 10am until he has finished dinner around 6:30pm. Ideally, Kai would have more interaction with other people and we’re trying to work out the best way to do this.

Please continue to follow Kai’s progress and keep him in your thoughts, this is going to be long and we really appreciate you all being with us through these challenges.

“One day at a time, one moment at a time. Let’s go.”

Martin, Yuki, Saya

#KaiFight77 

Fundraising accounts

KaiFight77: BSB 182-182 | Account No 3380821 | Swift Code (for international) MACQAU2SXXX

​Road 2 Recovery (10% goes to the Road 2 Recovery foundation which is a good thing) road2recovery.com/cause-view/kai-sakakibara

Welcome to the Australian Cycling Team's 30 from 30! 

Across the month of April, a host of current Australian Cycling Team members, coaches and staff, plus former Australian Cycling Team athletes, will take you behind the scenes to show you some of the unique and different ways we are keeping healthy and active, keeping a routine and staying connected, and supporting our community by helping to inspire and motivate in your own endeavours at home.

Whether you’re in isolation in Australia or across the world.

Follow the #AusCyclingTeam at Facebook @AustralianCyclingTeam, Instagram @AustralianCyclingTeam and Twitter @AusCyclingTeam

Day 42

It is now exactly seven weeks since Kai crashed, and we are relieved to say that he is making progress — tiny steps in the right direction.

A key step for Kai is he now off the respirator and can breathe by himself unassisted. As he is not dependent on the breathing machinery, it has been possible to move him out of the ICU (Intensive Care Unit) and into a high care ward. During his time in ICU, Kai had dedicated nurses monitoring him 24/7 to ensure he had the best possible care to get through the very critical stage. It’s said that most people stay in ICU for less than a week, the fact that Kai was there for so long is an indication of the severity of his injury.

We were absolutely amazed by the care and professionalism provided by the Canberra ICU. There is no doubt without their incredible skills, support infrastructure and genuine ability to look after critically ill patients, Kai would not be here today. Each of the doctors and nurses was genuinely interested in providing an outstanding service for people in their care and we felt that Kai was in good hands while he was there. While we don’t have experience with the ICU in other hospitals, we are sure they all provide a similarly high level of care.

Some other wins for Kai over the past few weeks: 1. Kai was on extremely strong sedation to ensure he would not move; the heavy drugs have been stopped and have cleared out of his system. 2. Most of the connections to machines have now been removed; Kai was connected to heart monitor, blood pressure monitor, respirator, brain pressure monitor — these have all gone. 3. Kai has opened his eyes and is looking around.

According to the neurosurgeons, Kai is starting the long process of “emerging” from his coma. People who are emerging from a coma do not just ‘wake up’, but go through a gradual process of regaining consciousness over a long period of time which could take months. This is the start of the recovery process; the doctors are happy with the improvements he has made so far but does remind us that they are not able to predict the future. Every case is different.

Fundraising thanks
​
During this time, a fantastic group of friends came together and organised an online auction to raise funds for Kai's recovery. With riders from around the world donating their jerseys, bikes, number plates and other goodies. For a week of the auctions, social media was filled with awesome people getting behind Kai's fundraiser, and by the end of it there was over AUD$45,000 raised — we were blown away. Your work and effort are really appreciated. Thank you so much to everyone who was involved.

There was also an amazing fundraiser night organised by our friend Paula Griffiths in NSW and hosted by Ben Hidalgo from Holeshot Fitness a couple of weeks ago. Many people and organisations donated wonderful items to be auctioned off. Lots of people attended, a number of whom we have not seen for years making, it a really successful event with a fantastic atmosphere. It’s ironic that Kai would have loved to be there to meet everyone, but if he could have attended there would have been no need for the event …

Some clubs around Australia held novelty races, other clubs have been selling #KaiFight77 stickers and T-shirts, we even heard of young riders in the UK selling #KaiFight77 stickers at the UK National Series. The support for Kai has been absolutely amazing from the BMX community, the Helensburgh community where we live and other friends. We are incredibly humbled by the response and the support from people all around the world. And no doubt, it has helped us be strong and keep positive. 

Spotify playlists

Lots of people have taken the time to put together some playlists for Kai, there are Playlists from Australia, UK, France, Japan and Italy which is amazing. Some of the playlists have plenty of F-bombs, some are clean and all are very much appreciated. Kai is a big music lover so we have been playing your music to him constantly. Please keep those playlists coming …. label them “#KaiFight77 - your name” so we know who created them. If you have not listened to the #KaiFight77 playlists on Spotify then give them a go — there are some great collections there.

Kai’s family

We’re still staying in an AirBnB about 10 mins walk from the hospital so we're able to go and see Kai 2 or 3 times a day without having to worry about traffic, parking etc. Saya is dedicated to training and her Olympic campaign. She understands that decisions made to optimise her training are also in Kai’s best interest. Martin and Yuki are trying to keep busy so please get in touch if you need anything.
​
People ask how we are doing which is a bit tricky to answer. All parents want to help their children where they can, but in this case, we feel very helpless — this is Kai’s fight and ultimately success (whatever that looks like) will depend on him. We also have to manage the uncertainty of not knowing how things are going to turn out for Kai, we don’t know what recovery looks like and we don’t know how far he will be able to go.

In order to stay positive, we try and focus on what we have gained and not what we have lost. We don’t spend too much time thinking about how close Kai was to his dream of making the Olympics because that doesn’t help. Instead, we need to remind ourselves that we nearly lost him seven weeks ago and he has fought to get to where he is today — there are small improvements every day and we are grateful for all of these. Things are so much better now than they were 42 days ago.

Next steps

Every day is a different day for Kai. Some days will be good, somedays will be not so good. But what we know is that Kai will keep fighting until the job is done. It is in his nature.

On the 1st January, 2020 Kai made the following post on Instagram

“How far can I go? How far am I willing to go? How far will I go? A new opportunity to redefine who we are and who we want to be - but it’s up to us to take action. We have to take action….A huge year ahead. One day at a time, one moment at a time. Let’s go.”

Little did Kai know how big this year is going to be, his goals have been reset and he will have to redefine who he is. For Kai and for us it is absolutely …

One day at a time, one moment at a time. Let's go.

Regards,

Martin, Yuki, Saya

Fundraising accounts

KaiFight77: BSB 182-182 | Account No 3380821 | Swift Code (for international) MACQAU2SXXX
​
Road 2 Recovery (10% goes to the Road 2 Recovery foundation which is a good thing) road2recovery.com/cause-view/kai-sakakibara

Over the next few months, the athletes and teams that will represent Australia in the five cycling disciplines - Road, Track, Mountain Bike, BMX Racing and BMX Freestyle - at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games will be announced. 

Below is a summary of the Olympic Qualification and Selection Timing situation as it currently stands.
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We understand this is ever-evolving and rapidly changing due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and we will await further updates from the AOC over the coming days and weeks. 

Table: Announcement Date, Events & Quota Places per cycling discipline

The opening two rounds of the 2020 UCI BMX Supercross World Cup were held in Shepparton on February 1-2 with Saya Sakakibara and Anthony Dean finding a home soil podium.  

The World Cups will be one of the last chances for riders to perform and grab qualifying points before the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

Eyeing a maiden Olympic selection, Saya Sakakibara, 20, kickstarted her 2020 season with silver in round one behind reigning world champion Alise Willoughby (USA) and 2016 Olympic gold medallist Marian Pajon (COL). Watch Round 1.
 
In round two, Sakakibara grabbed fourth after fighting back following a tangle at the first berm of the race won by Willoughby. Watch Round 2.

"First home World Cup, Saturday for round one I was feeling really good, running lane one all day. In the final, I knew I had a good gate but just couldn't execute. Stuck in second. Close, but not close enough," said Sakakibara. "On Sunday for round two, it was tough conditions, but I felt I adapted really well. I almost went down in the first corner, but just held it and when I saw I was still in third I thought I was ok, but just couldn't catch back up when I dropped to fourth.  Fourth is not too bad, definitely wanted a lot more than that but we have next weekend in Bathurst."

2016 Olympic finalist Anthony Dean was edged by world number one Niek Kimmann (NED) in round one to take silver - Watch Round 1. A bad gate start hampered his winning chances in round two despite moving through the field from eighth to finish just off the podium in fourth. Watch Round 2.

"Little mistake in the final and I hit the start, was looking for the win after a flawless day to that point. But I am still happy with the weekend and really looking forward to next weekend.  Really want to get that win," Anthony Dean. 

Dual Olympian and eight-time world champion Caroline Buchanan continued her comeback with a quarter-final appearance in round one before progressing to her first semi-final in four seasons in round two. 

"Straight in the deep end, felt a lot of nerves being out two and a half year from the WorldTour," said Buchana. "The level of the sport has progressed so far, from the quarterfinals onwards it feels like a final. Being in the mix of the racing felt different but I took a lot of wins from Saturday's racing and I wanted to make it into the semi finals for Sunday which I did. 

"I had a big smile on me face when the camera came across me in that semi final, it has been a hell of a journey to get back here."

A tough weekend for Kai Sakakibara who made it through to the semi finals on Sunday. 

"A bit of a rough weekend for me, finishing Saturday in the 1/8th final, and then coming unstuck in the semi final today. I tiis a little bi of a disappointing weekend knowing how good I have been going. My biggest upset is not being able to replicate what I have been doing in training. But I am happy with where I am heading and I am really looking forward to the next two rounds in Bathurst."

The action moves to New South Wales town of Bathurst on February 8-9 for rounds three and four. 

• World Cup Website https://www.bmxworldcup.com/ 
• UCI BMX Results https://www.uci.org/bmx-racing/results 

For the first time in more than ten years, the UCI BMX Supercross World Cup is coming to Australia with over 200 of the world's best riders from over 30 countries heading to Shepparton and Bathurst this February. 

The opening two rounds of the 2020 UCI BMX Supercross World Cup will be held in Shepparton on February 1-2, before the action moves to New South Wales town of Bathurst on February 8-9 for rounds three and four. 

The World Cups will be one of the last chances for riders to perform and grab qualifying points before the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

Cycling Australia's Technical Director Wade Bootes is excited about the home soil advantage and the opportunities for all BMX riders from the 2020 Olympic aspirants to future stars. 

"From developing athletes to our top tier riders, having that home crowd support is going to be huge, and I think the excitement from this is going to give all athletes the chance to rise to all-new levels. 

"What is better is that it's going to be great for development, especially for our juniors who will step in for that experience. In addition to this, it gives the opportunity for our top riders to deliver those critical results."

In all, 48 Australian riders will compete in Shepparton and 51 in Bathurst lead by the Australian Cycling Team's Anthony Dean, Caroline Buchanan plus Saya and Kai Sakakibara, who are chasing Olympic selection.

Saya Sakakibara, 20, is eyeing her maiden Olympic selection and enters the 2020 season after multiple top-five finishes across the 2019 World Cup rounds as well as seventh at the World Championships. 

Also chasing his first Olympic team nod is world number nine Kai Sakakibara, 23, while 2016 Olympic finalist Dean, 28, will chase his second. 

Dual Olympian and eight-time world champion Caroline Buchanan, 29, will continue her comeback after a two-year absence from the sport as she chases a record third Games. 

While medals at the World Cups will be a nice result on home soil, Bootes is hoping to guide his athletes to their ultimate performance come July's Games in Tokyo. 

"I think the main goal for me and across the board is to provide good guidance to our riders so that they can deliver their best performance on the day," said Bootes.

"Obviously grabbing Olympic medals for freestyle or racing would be great, but if our riders can perform to the best of their ability then that will be just as successful."

Each city will host two rounds of the World Cup across the weekend, with qualifying and the early rounds taking part in the morning and early afternoon with the finals from 4pm onwards.

More details at www.bmxworldcup.com â€‹

QUOTES

Darren Hicks
Just this last weekend, we saw seven world records broken,so  you don’t just win one race and that’s a good year, you need to keep winning. I won three of the four World Cups on the road, two world championships and three national championships, and that’s barely enough. We have such a strong para squad and it’s a pleasure to be a part of it. It’s amazing to get this award.  
 
Paige Greco 
I’ve had a really awesome year, and it means a lot. Every time I look at it reminds me of an awesome year and it’s my first year on the team. I’ve been working really hard, and it’s been really good to see the results. It’s been an amazing year and I still can’t believe where I have been with my teammates!

Alistair Donohoe
This award highlights the fact I had to win three world championships just to get the award. David Nicholas was in there and he didn’t get an award. We’ve got some serious depth so it’s kind of exciting. I am stoked [with where I’m at], it just feels amazing to be back where I think I should be, after some ill health in 2017, I am really building back up in 2019. 

I personally think this award personally means a lot to me tonight. 

Carol Cooke
We have such a strong group of para-cyclists and that many world champions on this team. That being singled out for this [award] is very special, especially at this age and you know I hope that by showing people that it doesn’t matter what number it is that’s attached to your age and that if you love doing something that you can just keep doing it and reap the benefits of it. I think that this year has probably been the best year I’ve ever had because I didn’t put the pressure on myself that I had to be on the top step it was about enjoying it, it was about having fun and I probably had the most fun that I’ve ever had in a year of racing. 

Brandon Loupos
I don’t think it could have been better. It was cool. I can’t wait for 2020. I did so much learning in 2019 and it’s all about keeping that consistency in 2020 and to go or the gold in Tokyo. Logan won it (this award) two years in a row and I am stoked to come away with the win this year, it’s definitely an honour and to be the elite BMX cyclist of the year is pretty special. There’s a lot of world champions who don’t get to win this award and I’m blessed to not only win a world championship but to also win this award. 
 
Saya Sakakibara
It was a challenging but fulfilling season. Compared to last year I didn’t produce the results; I had a lot of mental challenges and having six crashes in four months it was definitely really tough to line up on the gate with other riders. But with the worlds I thought my performance was really good, I didn’t get the results I wanted but it adds fuel to the fire and makes me a lot hungrier. I finished off the season with a win at the Olympic test event and is such a great confidence booster. 
 
Amanda Spratt
It’s been a really great year and I am really proud to get this award tonight it caps it off, I think it’s been my best year to date. Maybe I didn’t get the same results on paper as what I got last year but I am really, really proud to finish off with a bronze medal after a great team performance also. It’s amazing, I love coming to this event every year, you get so much motivation out of it. You see the videos of what people have done and hear some stories you maybe didn’t know about some people and it’s just a feeling of motivation and excitement. I always walk out of here, ready to bust into training the next day!
 
Ashlee Ankudinoff
It’s pretty humbling, to be honest. I’ve been in this sport for ten years now and it’s been a long time coming. I’ve had a successful career and now I am getting towards the end so it’s really nice to come here and celebrate the success, not just the success of myself but of others. I definitely think I am in the form of my life. I have a great support network back in Adelaide and the environment there is unbelievable. I have trust in the process in what we’re doing. I go to training every day knowing that I have the support from everyone from the Cycling Australia staff.  Olympic gold is why I am still riding. I definitely would not be riding if I had ticked all my goals off and the Olympic gold is definitely one, and hopefully next August I can do that.

Sam Welsford
It’s been a ripper year. I never thought I’d be able to go dual world champion in one year, so I’m just really over the moon. I love coming to the Awards, it’s such a special night, to see Australia’s best come through to all celebrate the year we’ve had. I get really gee’d up when I see the year’s recap video, it makes you really forget about the Awards itself and makes you realise how special it is to ride for Australia.  
 
(On Tim Decker receiving Coach of the Year Award) Tim holds a special place in my heart he’s been my coach for a long time, starting in 2015 when I first moved to Adelaide, Tim backed me a said “look mate, if you want to be apart of this you’ve got to put the work in” so, I trusted him from then on. Really happy for him to get that award and I know that he holds the award itself very close to him. He strives and works really hard for that I think this is just a testament to what he puts in. ​

Dual Olympian Caroline Buchanan has burst back onto the BMX racing stage over the weekend after finding the podium twice in her first C1 and HC event since her accident back in late 2017.

The eight-time BMX and Mountain Bike world champion Buchanan suffered a horrific accident while driving an off-road vehicle on New Year's Eve in 2017 which resulted in life-threatening injuries, including a broken sternum, collapsed lungs, a broken nose and dangerous bleeding around her heart.  The injuries would keep her off the bike for nineteen months, with the 28-year-old suffering a number of setbacks during rehabilitation. 

Caroline's Indonesian comeback came at the Banyuwangi BMX International in Indonesia, which also had a multitude of talent on show including Australia's elite men's national series champion Joshua Boyton, junior rider Damon Hocking.

Lining up on the gate alongside Buchanan was New Zealand's Sarah Walker, and the pair squared off like they have on so many occasions in the elite women's class. 

Day 1 had Walker find the top spot on the podium, with Buchanan narrowly missing out after leading for the majority of the race. 

The following day was Australia's most successful, and for Buchanan, a big return to the international BMX racing stage as she beat home Walker to the top spot on the podium.

Australia’s Saya Sakakibara has won the ‘Ready Steady Tokyo’, the official Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games test event being staged on the BMX racing circuit.

The Japanese-born Sakakibara narrowly edged reigning world champions Alise Post on the line in front of an adoring Tokyo crowd.
​
The looming typhoon forced the consolidation of the three-day event into one day with riders running all motos, semi finals and finals on one afternoon.

“This meant extra laps for us on this very very long track,” said Sakakibara, 20. “I didn’t know how my legs would make it through the day but I think we got through. was trying to save my energy, like rolling the last straight.”

In her fourth UCI BMX SX World Cup final of 2019, Saya Sakakibara has finished fourth in the eighth World Cup round held in Rock Hill, USA.

"I had a good day today," Sakakibara said. "I went through all the motos in first and second and I had a really good lap in my semi-final. I even had the second fastest lap for the day.

"It's really exciting to come away with the fourth and there are a lot of positives to come away from this weekend. I'm really looking forward to training again and ready to do it all again in Argentina."

Two crashes ended Kai Sakakibara's runs in the 1/8 finals in both rounds, while Anthony Dean suffered a dramatic crash in round seven and was forced out of round eight. 

UCI Rankings after Rd8:

Men

• Kai Sakakibara: 13th 380 points
• Anthony Dean: 23rd 245 points

Women

• Saya Sakakibara: 8th 515 points

The Australian Cycling Team is pleased to announce the BMX Race Individual Athlete Performance Support (IAPS) memberships for 2019-20. The quartet of Caroline Buchanan, Anthony Dean, Saya Sakakibara and Kai Sakakibara will receive the IAPS support. 

​“With Anthony Dean and Kai Sakakibara setting the fastest and fourth fastest laps in the elite men’s competition, and Saya Sakakibara setting the fastest lap for the elite women during the 2019 World Championships in July, it demonstrates that the Australian Cycling Team BMX Race athlete members are on track for Tokyo 2020,” said Australian Cycling Team BMX Technical Director Wade Bootes. 

“With the extended support the Australian Cycling Team has provided Caroline during her recovery period, and after recent observations of her in training, we believe it won't be long until Caroline will be in a similar position from when she last raced BMX Supercross in July 2017.” 

With less than a year to the Games, Bootes believes the team is on target to qualify two positions at the Games in the men’s and women’s events. 

“Our target for BMX IAPS is to deliver a medal in 2020 and we will continue to develop and support the athletes towards this trajectory,” added Bootes. 

“It will be a challenging and close race between nations to secure two positions for both men and women. The riders will be competing and targeting key events to help the qualification process while keeping the core performance objective the priority.”
​
The final two rounds of the 2019 UCI BMX Supercross World Cup season will be held in September, with Australia set to host the opening two rounds of the 2020 Series in February in Shepparton and Bathurst. 

The 2020 National Championships will feature in March, the 2020 World Championships head to the USA in May, while the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games BMX Race competition will take place on July 30-31. 

Australian Cycling Team BMX IAPS Membership for 2019-20

• Caroline Buchanan 
• Anthony Dean 
• Saya Sakakibara 
• Kai Sakakibara

It was heartbreak for Australia in the elite finals at the 2019 UCI BMX Racing World Championships in Belgium on Saturday with Saya Sakakibara (NSW) and Anthony Dean (SA) crashing in their finals after earlier dominating the competition.


The pair looked unstoppable as they won nine of ten finals between them through their Moto heats, 1/8, 1/4 and semi finals before their barnstorming run at the rainbow jersey sadly came to an end in the finals inside the first turn.


Australia did celebrate on the podium on the final day through Oliver Moran (NSW) who won silver in the junior men's final.

Recaps

Wollongong's Saya Sakakibara (NSW) opened her second World Championship account with three Moto qualifying wins, before adding the 1/4 final win as torrential rain began to cause havoc with the Zolder track.

The 19-year-old Sakakibara, who launched herself with sixth overall on her World Championship debut in 2018, then stormed into the final after winning the semi-final by more than five bike lengths.

In one of the most stacked finals in history, Sakakibara lined up against 2016 Olympic and world champion Mariana Pajón, reigning world champion Laura Smulders and 2017 world champion Alise Willoughby.

Devastatingly, however, Sakakibara's great form and run at her first World Championship podium came undone at the first jump after she skidded and crashed on landing. Willoughby, the wife of Australian two-time world champion Sam, rode to gold.

"I was really happy with how I rode today, yes the result isn't what I wanted, but I could see that I am one of the top riders out there and it is a big step up from the early races of the year," said Sakakibara, who also crashed out of the opening round of the 2019 World Cup season in April, before regrouping to claim two finals appearances across four rounds held in May and June.

"I was feeling pretty calm coming into this weekend as I know the track. I was really focused on going through my processes today and I surprised myself winning everything to get to the final.

"That was where it clicked, and I thought that maybe I could do well here. But I just think that I just hesitated a little bit out of the gate, I crashed on myself, I wasn't comfortable being in a tight position."

With a second career World Championship final under her belt before she exits her teens, and with Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games now less than a year away, Sakakibara could see the upside of today's result.

"Seventh, one worse than last year, that's hard. But an Australian in the final is really cool. And getting some Olympic points is really awesome, and I get to ride with a single-digit for another year, which is a plus.

"Big thanks to the Australian Cycling Team for supporting me and to all the staff here, I hope I made you proud."

2016 Olympic finalist Anthony Dean (SA) won all three Moto races, before storming to win both his 1/8 and 1/4 finals. In the semi-final, Dean was once again first out of the gate, however, he was pushed to fourth after the second turn before holding this to the line to secure a place in the final.

However, like Saya just moments before him, Dean's run at a maiden rainbow jersey in his sixth World Championships campaign was halted by a crash after he clipped the wheel of the rider in front of him on the first turn.

Recovering from the fall, Dean managed to cross the line in sixth. "I was having such a great day winning five laps, third in the semi-final, was set up for a great day," said Dean, who has enjoyed a consistent 2019 World Cup season.

"I had a perfect gate, but just wheelie'd to the bottom, and that is what cost me. I went into the first turn in third, was coming out going for second and just caught the guy's wheel in front of me who was turning really high in the wet conditions.

"I was in a bad spot turning at the wrong time.

"Pretty disappointed, I felt like this was the day it could have been mine, but what are you going to do? I will just come back and try again."

Kai Sakakibara (NSW) and Lauren Reynolds (WA) came agonisingly close to a finals appearance when they finished fifth in their respective semi-finals.

Sakakibara finished fourth in his 1/8 final run, before a stellar final corner move in the 1/4 final which saw him move from the last position into fourth and through to the semi-final. "It was a huge day, I had a great run through the Motos and it was survival of the fittest after that and just couldn't get out of the semi-final," said Kai, who season honours include a career-best World Cup fourth-place and three semi-final finishes. 

"Disappointed because I was aiming for the final, but I was proud of my preparation coming into the event, I was riding really nicely and I know success isn't too far away."

2013 World Championship silver medallist and dual Olympian Reynolds looked strong throughout the day, moving to the semi-finals with a strong ride to finish behind defending champion Laura Smulders (NED) and ahead of 2017 world champion Alise Willoughby (USA) in a stacked 1/4 final. 

In other Elite results, Izaac Kennedy's (QLD) World Championship debut came to a thrilling end in the 1/4 final stage when he was pipped on the line after getting back to ride the final straight after a crash early in the run. Erin Lockwood (QLD) and Matt Krasevskis (QLD) were unable to progress through the Motos, while Josh McLean's (VIC) day ended in the 1/8 final stage. 

In the Under 19 events, Oliver Moran (NSW) won the silver medal behind France's Tatyan Lui Hin Tsan. 

Des’ree Barnes (QLD) produced solid rides in her motos and 1/4 finals, however, she was unable to progress to the final after finishing seventh in the semi-final. 

Jack Davis' (NSW) Championships came unstuck on the wet track early in his 1/4 final, while Corey Taylor (WA) pipped on the line for fifth in the same heat which ended his 2019 run. Matt Tidswell's (SA) campaign ended in the Moto rounds. 

​Team Australia

• ELITE MEN Anthony Dean (SA), Kai Sakakibara (NSW), Matt Krasevskis (QLD), Izaac Kennedy (QLD), Josh McLean (VIC)
• ELITE WOMEN Saya Sakakibara (NSW), Lauren Reynolds (WA), Erin Lockwood (QLD)
• UNDER 19 MEN Matt Tidswell (SA), Jack Davis (NSW), Oliver Moran (NSW), Corey Taylor (WA)
• UNDER 19 WOMEN Des’ree Barnes (QLD)

Watch 

• Final Day Highlights - Foxtel Channel 507 - Sunday 28 July 1:00pm

With less than one year to go until the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, the Australian Team has its sights on the 2019 UCI BMX Racing World Championships. 
​
The Championships will be held at the BMX Club Circuit in Zolder, Belgium, with the finals on Saturday 27 July. 

Team Australia

• ELITE MEN Anthony Dean (SA), Kai Sakakibara (NSW), Matt Krasevskis (QLD), Izaac Kennedy (QLD), Josh McLean (VIC)
• ELITE WOMEN Saya Sakakibara (NSW), Lauren Reynolds (WA), Erin Lockwood (QLD)
• UNDER 19 MEN Matt Tidswell (SA), Jack Davis (NSW), Oliver Moran (NSW), Corey Taylor (WA)
• UNDER 19 WOMEN Des’ree Barnes (QLD)

BMX World Championships

• July 23-27, BMX Club Circuit in Zolder Official website

Schedule 

• 9pm AEST Saturday 27 July (13:00 local time) - Motos
• 1am AEST Sunday 28 July (17:00 local time) - Races 1/8 1/4, Semis, Finals

Watch 

• Final Day Highlights - Foxtel Channel 507 - Sunday 28 July 1:00pm

Follow #AusCyclingTeam

• australiancyclingteam.com
• facebook.com/AustralianCyclingTeam 
• instagram.com/australiancyclingteam
• twitter.com/AusCyclingTeam ​​

 Team Preview

Wollongong's Saya Sakakibara heads into the World Championships following a mixed opening to her 2019 World Cup season which saw her crash out of the semi-final of April’s opening round, forcing her to miss the second round with concussion. 

“I am excited to be racing Worlds,” said Saya, who regrouped to claim two finals appearances, highlighted by a fifth in the last round in France, across four rounds held in May and June. 

“I haven't had the best season so far having a few crashes early which set me back. But I really feel that over the past few weeks I have made some small improvements coming into worlds and my helping with my confidence."

It will be the 19-year-old’s second World Championship campaign in the elite field following an outstanding debut in 2018 which saw her finish sixth. And with the Tokyo Olympic Games just one year away, Saya knows the level of competition will be higher than ever this week in Belgium. 

“The women’s field is quite competitive and tough, it will be difficult for me to keep the single-digit [a number six race plate] I have been running for the past twelve months, but it is possible and I have high hopes I can get myself into the final and come away with a good result."

Kai Sakakibara enters his fifth consecutive elite World Championships with season honours including a career-best World Cup fourth-place in May’s third round, plus three semi-final finishes. 

"Always anxiety, anticipation and excitement coming into a Worlds, it is a whole new event every year, the most important event of 2019 for BMX," said Kai. "I know the Zolder track well having raced my first elite Worlds there five years ago in 2015, and I know have improved a lot in the past four years, and I would like to showcase that in 2019.  

“I’ve been getting some great practise in over the past few months and I’m feeling ready and confident coming into the racing.” 

2016 Olympic finalist Anthony Dean heads to a sixth straight Worlds Championships off the back of a consistent World Cup season which has seen him recently reach the finals in the third round held in France in June.

"I am excited to be a part of the team and excited to get there and showcase my skills,” said Dean, who enjoyed success on the Zolder track with a podium at the 2018 World Cup. “This year, especially leading into the Olympics for 2020, I am focused on getting better and improve as much as I can in all aspects.  

“I think I am bringing a pretty good package this year to Worlds, and I am excited to get back to this track and land on the podium this year."

Dual Olympian Lauren Reynolds will take her place in the starting gate for twelfth consecutive World Championships, with the 28-year-old’s green and gold campaign beginning in 2008 in the junior category. 

“It is an absolute honour to be a part of the team again and putting on the national jersey, and I am very excited for the World Championships,” said Reynolds, who won World Championship silver in 2013.  “It is the biggest race of the year and with one year out from the Olympic Games, the level of racing is higher than it has ever been. 

“Certainly I have high expectations, like every year, I have had a great preparation so am excited to get out there and put out a good performance.” The elite team also features Erin Lockwood, Matt Krasevskis, Izaac Kennedy and Josh McLean who will make their elite World Championship debut.

The Under 19 team includes Des’ree Barnes, Matt Tidswell, Jack Davis, Oliver Moran and Corey Taylor. 

‪#UCIBMXWC Round 5 & 6

The 2019 UCI BMX Supercross World Cup season continues with round 5 and 6 at Saint-Quentin-En-Yvelines in Paris on June 8-9.

In action for the Australian Cycling Team will be Wollongong’s Saya Sakakibara, Kai Sakakibara and Adelaide's Anthony Dean.

Saya heads into the weekend fresh off a final and semi-final appearance at the third and fourth rounds held in April, with two podium finishes at the equivalent 2018 rounds held on the Paris track also strong in her memory.

Kai equalled his career-best World Cup result with a fourth-place finish in the third round last month, while Anthony progressed to the semi-final at the opening two rounds in England in April.

The World Cups provide valuable points towards the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games qualification.  

• Website ffc.fr/coupe-monde-bmx-2018
• Results uci.org/uci-bmx-supercross-world-cup
• Watch live facebook.com/UCIBMXSupercross