Local BMX riders preparing for prestigious event
When flipping through the television guide, it is highly unlikely Bicycle Moto Cross (BMX) will be on the air.
But in Yuma the popularity of the sport continues to grow. The youth in town have gravitated to the individual sport over the last few years and the performances of a few riders has landed them a spot in the USA BMX Grands race in Tulsa (Okla.) on Nov. 24-28.
“I wasn’t a good team player,” 16-year-old Cibola student and BMX rider Micah Bender said on how he got into racing. “I don’t like to rely on others. I’m more of an independent person. I saw (BMX) and I thought it looked cool.”
Bender, Johnathan Duarte, Cayden Gapp, Bobo Garza, Saylor Garza, and Trevor Johnson are the six local riders competing in one of the most prestigious BMX events in the U.S.
“It’s something we’ve been working on,” the 24-year-old Bobo Garza said. “Not only myself, but everyone here has been working hard … All the kids have a drive to get better every day.
To get to this stage, competitors had to participate in regional, state and nationals events. The BMX season is year-round and the excitement of qualifying for Grands is overwhelming for the local riders. Yet, the practice regime remains the same for Garza.
“Just ride seven days a week,” he admitted. “Ride my bike as much as possible and keep practicing.”
It’ll be the first time since 2013 Garza has qualified for Grands. That was just his second year of racing BMX. Garza is a former dirt bike racer and believes his experience on the motorized bike gives him an advantage while on his new, manually-powered equipment.
“Most definitely (it helps),” he said. “But in my opinion, it’s more physically demanding. Obviously, it’s just one lap instead of a 20-minute (mo
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tocross race).”
Bender, the 16-year-old who’s been racing for seven years, qualified for Worlds a few years back – racing against the best competition the sport has to offer. Gaining experience on the 3 p.m.
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biggest stage in BMX has only helped prepare him on the track for the upcoming Grands meet.
“It’s a mental thing,” he said. “Going to more nationals (events) – and worlds especially – and being on that stage helps you prepare for all races. Being inside the gate and
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no longer nervous (is an advantage).”
The six participants are ready to make a name for themselves and will be riding every day before making the 1,100-mile trek to Tulsa in late Nov.