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The Roots & Ride:
St. Albert BMX History & Community
Bicycle Motocross (BMX) is a high-octane sport fueled by passion, community, and fun. Today, BMX is internationally recognized with two distinct disciplines featured on the world’s biggest stage at the Olympic Games: BMX Racing and BMX Freestyle.
While Freestyle riders showcase tricks across disciplines like Vert, Street, Dirt, Flat, and Park (the sole Olympic freestyle discipline), here at the St. Albert BMX Association, our focus is entirely on the speed and adrenaline of BMX Racing!
From Vacant Lots to the Olympic Stage
The documented start of BMX racing traces back to the late 1960s in Southern California. Kids looking for adventure began racing their bicycles around vacant lots, mimicking their favorite motorized motocross athletes.
This homegrown phenomenon was captured on film by Bruce Brown in the iconic opening credits of his 1971 movie “On Any Sunday”. From those dusty lots, a global sport was born:
| Year | Milestone Achievement |
|---|---|
| 1981 | The International BMX Federation is founded. |
| 1993 | The sport is officially recognized by the International Cycling Union (UCI). |
| 2008 (Beijing) | BMX Racing officially debuts as an Olympic sport. Latvia’s Maris Strombergs took home the first Men’s gold, while France’s Anne-Caroline Chausson secured the first Women’s gold. |
| 2020 (Tokyo) | BMX Freestyle Park joins the Olympic roster, expanding the sport’s global footprint. |
The St. Albert Track: Then and Now
Track Update & Evolution: Over the years, the track has transformed from a basic local dirt path into a world-class, modern racing facility. Major infrastructure overhauls—including a massive, modernized concrete starting hill, asphalt corners for maximum speed, and a highly technical rhythm section—have elevated the track to new heights.
📸 Facility Upgrade Showcase
Before the Redesign
After the Redesign
Our brand new modern track layout built for elite speed.