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The UCI BMX Racing World Championships Are Coming to Brisbane — And That Is a Big Deal

Wed, 17 Jun 2026 09:00:00 GMT

Brisbane. July 16–25, 2026.

The UCI BMX Racing World Championships are coming to Australia. Specifically to the Brisbane SX International BMX Centre — the same track that opened the 2026 national series in February. It's the biggest BMX event on the planet, and for the first time, it's on home soil.

Elite, Under 23, and Junior competition runs July 18–19. Challenge and Masters racing follows July 22–25.

What This Means for Australian BMX

Australia has produced world champions and Olympic medalists in BMX racing. But the sport has always fought for visibility in a market dominated by AFL, rugby, and cricket. A World Championships in Brisbane changes that conversation.

For a week in July, the best BMX riders on the planet will be racing in Australia. International coverage. Local attendance. The kind of exposure that creates the next generation of riders who know this sport is real and that an Australian can win it.

Australian Riders on the World Stage

Elite, Under 23, and Junior Australians who have earned world championship selection will race in front of home crowds. For a junior rider who has come through the national series, this is the moment — their moment, on the biggest track there is, with Australian fans behind them.

We think about that a lot. How many riders should be in that conversation but aren't, because they didn't have a full season of support behind them. Because nobody backed them early enough.

Ride Together's Goal for Worlds 2026

We want Ride Together-supported riders in Brisbane in July. Not as spectators — as competitors. Riders who've been backed through the national series, who've earned their rankings, and who deserve to line up on a world championship start ramp.

This is what we've been building toward. The work that started months ago at club level, in regional communities, with kids who were good enough but didn't have the structure around them — that's what shows up at Worlds.

Brisbane in July. We'll be there.

If you want to be part of making it happen, reach out.

Macarthur in May — Two Rounds, One Shot Before Worlds

Wed, 06 May 2026 09:00:00 GMT

Two Rounds. Back to Back. Eight Weeks to Worlds.

AusCycling BMX Racing National Series Rounds 3 and 4 run at Macarthur on May 23 and 24. This is the final national series event of the 2026 domestic season before the UCI World Championships arrive in Brisbane in July.

For riders chasing series points, it's critical. For Elite riders with eyes on the world stage, it's the last major race day before everything gets bigger.

Why Macarthur Matters This Year

In a normal year, Macarthur is a solid national series event. In 2026, it carries extra weight. With Worlds in Brisbane just two months out, the performance conversations happening at these rounds are directly connected to selection, form, and momentum.

Coaches and managers will be watching carefully. So will we.

The Series Table After Four Rounds

After Macarthur, the national series wraps up and the points are what they are. Riders who've been consistent across all four rounds will have a clear picture of where they stand nationally. Riders who've had gaps — whether from injury, cost, or access — will feel it in the rankings.

This is why we push for continuous support across a full season, not just one-off race entry funding. A rider who makes it to Brisbane but missed Shepparton and Macarthur is at a structural disadvantage by the time they're lining up at Worlds.

Full Season Support Is the Point

Ride Together is built around the idea that backing a rider means backing them for the whole season — not just the headline event. If we're going to put a kid on a gate at the World Championships, we want them to arrive with a full season behind them.

That costs more than a single entry fee. And it's worth it.

Rounds 3 and 4 at Macarthur. May 23–24. We'll be watching.

The 2026 GWM BMX Racing National Championships — What You Need to Know

Wed, 01 Apr 2026 09:00:00 GMT

Shepparton. April 16–18.

The 2026 GWM BMX Racing National Championships take place in Shepparton, Victoria from April 16 to 18, with April 19 held as a reserve day. This is the event that decides national titles across every age and category — from the youngest competitive age groups through to Elite.

Round 2 of the National Series runs on April 14, the same week, making Shepparton the biggest BMX event on the Australian calendar until July's World Championships.

Who Competes at Nationals

Every age category from Under 7 through to Masters competes across both 20" and Cruiser classes. The schedule runs over three days, with Elite racing on the final day drawing the largest fields and the most pressure.

For junior riders, a national championship result is a marker. It tells coaches, selectors, and sponsors where a rider sits relative to the best in the country. For a rider who's been developing in a regional or remote club, a strong result at nationals changes the conversation around them.

Getting There Is the Hard Part

Shepparton is not accessible for every rider who should be there. Travel, accommodation, bike freight, entry fees — for families in regional or remote areas, the cost of competing at nationals can run into thousands of dollars before a wheel turns.

This is one of the core problems Ride Together exists to solve. We don't think national championship berths should be determined by postcode or bank balance. If a rider has earned their place on the gate through performance, they should be on it.

Ride Together at Nationals

We'll have supported riders at the 2026 National Championships in Shepparton. We're not there to watch — we're there because the riders we've backed have earned the right to compete at the highest domestic level.

If you're heading to Shepparton and want to connect with what we're doing — or if you know a rider who should be there but can't make it — get in touch before April 14 .

The Sleeman Track — What Riders Need to Know About the World Championships Venue

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 07:04:17 GMT

The 2026 UCI BMX Racing World Championships will be held at the Brisbane SX International BMX Centre, part of the Sleeman Sports Complex in Chandler, Queensland. It is the only Olympic-standard BMX Supercross track in Australia, and it's about to host the biggest BMX event in the world.

What Makes a Supercross Track Different

A Supercross track is built to a specific UCI specification. The start hill is eight metres — significantly steeper and taller than a standard BMX track. The rhythm sections, berms, and jumps are designed for speed and technical precision at an elite level. It is a different physical demand than what most club-level or even national series tracks present.

That gap matters for riders preparing to compete at Worlds. Arriving in Brisbane without exposure to that kind of track puts you behind from the first practice run. Which is one reason why building up race experience and physical conditioning across the full national series calendar is not optional for anyone serious about performing in July.

A Track With History

Queensland has a long history in BMX. The state has produced national champions and Olympic representatives, and the Sleeman facility has hosted UCI-classified races and national championships before. This will be its first UCI World Championships — and the first time Australia has hosted Worlds since Adelaide in 2009.

Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner described it as a huge win for the city. AusCycling CEO Marne Fechner pointed to Queensland as the hotbed of BMX participation in Australia. Both are right. This is a significant moment for the sport in this country.

For Riders Who Want to Be There

Elite, Under 23, and Junior competition runs July 18–19. The Challenge and Masters categories follow July 22–25, with age groups from 8-year-olds through to Masters divisions across both 20-inch and Cruiser bikes. The competition at Worlds covers the full width of the sport — not just the elite tier.

If you're a Ride Together-supported rider working toward Brisbane, the Sleeman track is the destination. Everything between now and July is preparation for what that start ramp feels like.

Challenge and Masters at Worlds — It Is Not Just for Elite Riders

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 07:04:10 GMT

When people think about the UCI BMX Racing World Championships, they picture elite athletes racing for a world title. That race is real and it matters. But it is one part of a much bigger event — and for most Australian riders heading to Brisbane in July, it is not the category they will be competing in.

What the Challenge and Masters Competition Is

The Challenge and Masters categories at Worlds are open to amateur riders across a wide range of age groups. AusCycling expects Australia's team for these categories to exceed 1,000 riders — one of the largest national representations at any UCI World Championships event.

Age groups run from 8-year-olds right through to Masters 50-and-over, across both standard 20-inch and Cruiser 24-inch bikes. Boys, girls, men, women. The full breadth of the sport, not just the tip of the performance pyramid.

Why This Matters for Regional Riders

Challenge and Masters racing at Worlds is accessible. You don't have to be nationally ranked or elite-pathway selected. You need to be a registered AusCycling member, meet your age category requirements, and go through the AusCycling Challenge and Masters registration process — which opens June 22 and closes June 30, 2026.

For a rider in Alice Springs or anywhere else in regional Australia who has been putting in consistent work through their club and the national series, Worlds is not out of reach. It is a realistic goal. That's what makes it worth building toward.

The Support Behind the Rider

AusCycling is actively recruiting assistant team managers to support Australia's Challenge and Masters team at the event. These are experienced leaders — coaches, former riders, officials — who help riders and families navigate the week. The infrastructure around the team exists specifically to make the experience work.

Getting a rider to Brisbane is one thing. Making sure they're prepared, supported, and set up to race their best is another. That's the job we're focused on between now and July.

How to Prepare a Rider for the World Championships — What the Journey Actually Looks Like

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 07:04:03 GMT

The UCI BMX Racing World Championships are in Brisbane on July 16–25. If you have a rider in your household who is serious about competing, the time to start preparing is not six weeks before the event. It is now.

The Physical and Technical Preparation

A Supercross-spec track like Sleeman makes specific demands. The eight-metre start hill is steeper and longer than most riders will have trained on. The rhythm sections require consistent speed and timing to get right. Arriving at Worlds without specific preparation for that kind of track is a disadvantage you can't make up on race day.

AusCycling-accredited coaches understand periodisation — how to build a training block that peaks a rider at the right time. If your rider doesn't have a qualified coach working with them through the lead-up, finding one before July is one of the highest-value things you can do. Not a club volunteer. Not someone who raced BMX in the nineties. An accredited AusCycling coach who knows how to develop an athlete across a season.

The Racing Preparation

Competition experience is not optional. Riders who head to Worlds without a full domestic season behind them are under-prepared. The National Series rounds through March, May, and June are not just points events — they are the development ground where riders build race sharpness, gate timing, and the capacity to perform under pressure.

If your rider can get to Macarthur in May for Rounds 3 and 4, go. That is the last serious domestic proving ground before Brisbane. Two rounds, back to back, with a full field. It matters.

The Logistics Preparation

Travel, accommodation, equipment freight, registration, and entry fees add up quickly for a regional family. That's a reality that shuts some riders out before the training conversation even happens. Ride Together's purpose is to close that gap — backing riders who are ready to compete but can't carry the full cost alone.

If you're working toward Brisbane and the financial side is a barrier, talk to us. That's exactly what we're here for.

Ride Together's Goal for Brisbane — Supported Riders on the World Start Ramp

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 07:03:56 GMT

We want Ride Together-supported riders competing in Brisbane in July. Not watching from the stands. Racing. Riders who have earned their rankings through a full national series campaign, with consistent coaching, proper equipment, and the entry fees covered when they needed to be.

What It Takes to Back a Rider to Worlds

The cost of getting a regional rider to the UCI World Championships is not just the entry fee. It is the full season that earns the right to be there. National Series registration. Race entries through the domestic calendar. Travel to events that aren't in your backyard. Coaching that builds real performance, not just club-level participation.

For a family in Alice Springs or a regional NT community, that adds up to a number that is out of reach without support. The talent exists. The commitment exists. The financial gap is what Ride Together is designed to close.

Why Brisbane in Particular

A home World Championships is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for Australian BMX. The last time Australia hosted was Adelaide in 2009. The next time is not scheduled. A rider who earns a start at Brisbane in July is competing at a moment that won't come around again for a long time.

We think about the riders who should be in that conversation but aren't — because nobody backed them early enough, or consistently enough, to make it possible. That's the work. Finding those riders before July isn't. Backing them through the whole season is what actually moves the needle.

If You Want to Help Get Them There

Ride Together is a community-funded program. Every contribution goes directly toward making competition accessible for riders who wouldn't otherwise get there. If Brisbane in July feels like something worth being part of, here's how to help .

The riders are ready. We just need to get them there.

What Watching Worlds at Home Does for the Next Generation

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 07:03:49 GMT

In July, the UCI BMX Racing World Championships will be broadcast to a potential global audience of 14 million people across more than 100 countries. Here in Australia, families who have never thought about BMX racing as a serious sport will watch Australian riders line up on the biggest track in the world, competing for a world title, in Brisbane.

The Moment a Kid Decides This Is Real

There's a version of this that plays out in lounge rooms across the country. A kid who rides at their local club on a Saturday, who has never seen their sport treated as something that matters at a global level, watches a World Championship final. Sees Australians in the mix. Sees the crowd.

Something changes after that. The sport becomes bigger than the backyard. The pathway from local club to the international stage becomes something you can actually picture, not just imagine abstractly.

That's what visibility does for participation. AusCycling and Queensland Tourism have both pointed to the broadcast reach and spectator numbers as a key reason the World Championships matter beyond sport. They're right. But the most important audience isn't the 14 million global viewers. It's the eight-year-old in the stands in Brisbane, or watching from home in Alice Springs, who decides this is what they want to do.

The Pipeline That Needs to Be There When They Arrive

Inspiration is the first step. What happens next depends on whether the infrastructure exists to catch a kid who wants to go further. Qualified coaches. Accessible clubs. Entry fees that don't shut out the families who can't absorb them. A pathway from community-level participation to national competition that doesn't require a family to be wealthy to navigate.

That pipeline is what Ride Together is building. Not for July — though Brisbane matters — but for the rider who decides in July 2026 that this is their sport, and needs something to be there for them in 2027, 2028, and beyond.

Brisbane Is the Beginning

The UCI BMX Racing World Championships in Brisbane will be the biggest moment for the sport in Australia in a generation. What it becomes depends on what we build around it. Ride Together's job is to make sure the door that Brisbane opens stays open for the kids who walk through it.

Riding Together: How BMX is Building Community in Alice Springs

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 02:42:32 GMT

On any given afternoon in Alice Springs, you might spot a kid on a BMX bike — flying around a dirt track, learning to fall, getting back up, and doing it all again with a grin. It looks like fun. It is fun. But what's happening beneath the surface is something a lot more significant.

Ride Together started with a simple observation: talent is everywhere, but opportunity isn't. Across Australia — and especially in regional and remote communities like Alice Springs — young people with real potential can't access the sport they belong in. Equipment is expensive. Travel to competitions costs money families don't always have. And without the right connections, those riders stay invisible.

That's the gap Ride Together works to close.

More Than a Bike Program

At its core, Ride Together is about giving young people access — to sport, to community, and to the belief that where you're from doesn't determine where you can go. For youth in Alice Springs and across the NT, that message lands differently than it might elsewhere. The distances are greater, the resources are fewer, and the barriers are real.

But so is the community. That's what makes this work.

When young riders come through the Ride Together program, they're not just getting a bike. They're getting coaches who show up consistently, peers who hold each other accountable, and a structure that keeps them connected — to sport, to mentors, and to each other. Research consistently shows that regular participation in physical activity improves mental health, social skills, and school engagement in young people. For kids in communities facing complex challenges, that's not a small thing.

Wellbeing Through Wheels

BMX might not seem like an obvious vehicle for youth wellbeing — but talk to any kid who's been through a structured riding program and you'll hear the same story: it gave them something to come back to. A reason to get out of bed on a Saturday. A group of people who expected them to show up.

Active lifestyles built early tend to stick. Kids who find a sport they love — and a community they belong to — carry that with them. Ride Together works to make sure those opportunities exist for young people in the NT, not just in major cities or well-resourced suburbs.

Community-First, Always

None of this happens without community. Local clubs, coaches, families, and supporters are what make the program go. Ride Together partners with BMX clubs across Australia, supports young riders to compete at state and national level, and works to build the local networks that outlast any single program or funding cycle.

In Alice Springs, that community-first approach matters enormously. The NT has its own rhythms, its own strengths, and its own challenges. Ride Together is built around them — not imported from somewhere else.

If you're in Alice Springs and want to get involved — whether you're a parent, a local business, a coach, or just someone who cares about young people thriving — we'd love to hear from you. This is a community effort, and the more people who show up, the stronger it gets.

One ride at a time.

Why a Qualified BMX Coach Is Not Optional — It's the Whole Point

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 09:00:00 GMT

Coaching Is Not Mentoring With a Clipboard

There's a difference between someone who rode BMX and knows the track, and someone who is trained to develop athletes. Both matter. They're not the same thing.

AusCycling's accreditation pathway for BMX coaches exists because the sport produces genuine physical, technical, and psychological demand on young athletes — and the person standing behind the gate needs to know what they're doing.

What AusCycling Accreditation Actually Requires

The AusCycling Coach and Instructor pathway replaced all previous discipline-specific programs in 2020. To coach BMX in Australia at any formal level, you need:

Current AusCycling membership
First Aid accreditation (HLTAID011 minimum)
Working with Children Check for your state or territory
Sport Integrity Australia modules — including Clean Sport, Safeguarding Children, anti-doping, and competition manipulation courses depending on your level
Pathway-level training — from Community Instructor through to Development, Advanced, and Elite, depending on the depth of coaching you're delivering

These aren't administrative hurdles. They reflect the reality that you're working with children in a high-speed physical sport, and the duty of care is real.

What a Qualified Coach Actually Does Differently

An accredited coach understands periodisation — how to structure training so a rider peaks at nationals, not in the backyard in January. They understand how to teach gate technique without creating compensatory movement patterns that cause injury six months later. They can read race footage and identify what's happening mechanically, not just who won.

For a junior rider in a regional area who's been training on instinct and enthusiasm, connecting with a qualified coach is often the single biggest performance leap they make.

Why Ride Together Prioritises Coach Connections

Equipment and entry fees are the obvious costs of BMX. Coaching access is the less visible one — and often the more impactful.

Part of what Ride Together does is connect riders in under-resourced communities with accredited coaching. Not just a ride program. Not just a club to join. An actual coach who has been through the AusCycling pathway, holds their qualifications, and knows how to develop a rider across a full season.

If you're an accredited AusCycling BMX coach interested in working with Ride Together-supported riders, we want to hear from you. Get in touch.

AusCycling coach accreditation information: auscycling.org.au/coaching-and-officiating/become-a-coach

What the World Championships in Brisbane Actually Mean for Regional Riders

Fri, 13 Mar 2026 06:58:39 GMT

Brisbane. July 16–25, 2026. The UCI BMX Racing World Championships are on Australian soil for the first time. That fact matters for everyone in the sport — but it means something specific for riders who grew up racing in regional communities, far from the national spotlight.

The Visibility Problem

BMX racing in Australia produces world champions. It always has. But the pipeline of talent that reaches the top is narrower than it should be, because the pathway is harder to see when you're not in a major metro club with a packed calendar, high-performance coaching, and a parent who can fund a full national series campaign.

A World Championships in Brisbane changes the visibility of the sport in this country. It will be broadcast to a potential global audience of 14 million people across more than 100 countries. It will draw an estimated 20,000 spectators through the gates at the Sleeman Sports Complex. That kind of exposure reaches places the sport hasn't reached before.

What It Signals to a Kid in Alice Springs

When the biggest BMX event on the planet happens in your own country, and you can watch Australians race for world titles in front of home crowds, something shifts. The sport stops being something that happens overseas. It becomes something that happens here. Something you can aim at.

That's not a small thing. For a kid in a regional community who is genuinely talented but hasn't had the structure or support around them, seeing that finish line makes it real.

The Work That Gets Riders There

Worlds doesn't start in Brisbane in July. It starts at club level, months earlier, in communities where someone decided to back a rider before the results were obvious. It starts with a coach who shows up consistently. With an entry fee covered when a family couldn't cover it. With a bike that fits and a gate that works.

That's what Ride Together is for. And Brisbane in July is what it's all been building toward.

The 2026 National Series Has Started — Here's What That Means

Wed, 11 Mar 2026 09:00:00 GMT

The Gate Dropped in Brisbane

Round 1 of the 2026 AusCycling BMX Racing National Series went down on February 22 at the Brisbane SX International BMX Centre — the same venue that will host the UCI World Championships in July. That's not a coincidence. It was a deliberate start to a season built toward one destination.

The Oceania Championships ran the day before. Australian riders got a taste of the track that will matter most when the best in the world arrive in winter.

What the National Series Actually Is

The AusCycling BMX Racing National Series isn't just a series of races. It's the primary competitive pathway for riders across Australia — from Under 7 through to Elite. Points accumulate across each round, and performances matter both for national ranking and for selection conversations when it counts.

For a rider trying to earn their place in the conversation for higher-level competition, every series round is a data point. Every gate matters.

Why Ride Together Follows It

We track the national series closely because it's where we see our riders compete. It's where funding decisions get validated — or challenged. When a kid we've backed lines up in Brisbane or Shepparton or Macarthur, we're watching what happens.

We're also watching for the riders who aren't there. The ones who couldn't make the trip. The ones who aged into a competitive category but didn't have the equipment or the entry fees to back it up.

Those are the riders we want to find before the next round.

Four Rounds to Go. One World Championships.

The 2026 season runs from February through to the UCI Worlds in Brisbane in July. Four national series rounds. One national championships. And then the world's biggest BMX event, on Australian soil, for the first time in the sport's history.

It's a significant year. We intend to make the most of it.

If you know a rider who belongs in this series but doesn't have the support to get there — reach out .

Teaching Your Kids to Balance on the Gate — You Do Not Have to Figure It Out Alone

Wed, 04 Mar 2026 09:00:00 GMT

The start gate is where everything begins in BMX racing.

It's also where a lot of new families feel completely lost.

I'm Brad Bellette , founder of Ride Together Australia. My son Jimmy started riding at six years old, and I remember standing on the sideline watching him roll up to that gate for the first time — a hinged ramp that holds the rider at an angle before dropping them into the race. It's a different sport entirely until you understand it.

What Balancing on the Gate Actually Involves

Balancing on the gate is a skill. It requires the rider to hold their weight correctly on the pedals, maintain their line, keep calm under pressure, and be ready to explode forward the instant the gate drops. For a six-year-old doing it for the first time, that's a lot to process.

The good news: it's very teachable. And kids pick it up faster than you'd think.

The Basics of Gate Position

Here's the foundation. The rider should have their dominant foot forward, pedal at roughly the 2 o'clock position. Weight should be on the pedals, not the seat — you're already in a standing position before the gate drops. Arms slightly bent, head up. You're balanced, coiled, ready.

The gate drop itself is where reaction time comes in, and that's something you can practise without even riding — just working on the feel of the position and the response cue.

Why a Qualified Coach Makes the Difference

For parents, the most important thing you can do is get your child in front of a qualified coach early. Not because you can't help — you absolutely can — but because gate technique built on good foundations from the start is far easier to develop than technique that's been reinforced incorrectly for a year.

This is where AusCycling -accredited coaches make a real difference. The AusCycling coaching accreditation system ensures coaches have the knowledge and skills to teach fundamentals properly — from gate position to body mechanics to race-day strategy. A few sessions with a qualified coach early can set a rider up for years of proper development.

What Ride Together Funds

One of the things Ride Together funds is exactly this: access to AusCycling -accredited coaching for families in regional and remote Australia who don't have it on their doorstep. A clinic. A coach visit. An online session. Whatever it takes to get proper instruction to kids who deserve it.

Coaching clinics at regional tracks
Travel support for coaches to visit remote communities
Online coaching sessions for riders without local access
Connection to the broader AusCycling coaching network

Because that first clean gate start — the one where everything clicks, the gate drops and the rider is just gone — is a moment your kid will remember. We want more kids to have it.

Getting into BMX Racing — Why Do We Stand?

Wed, 18 Feb 2026 09:00:00 GMT

If you've watched a BMX race for the first time, you've probably noticed something: nobody sits down. From the moment riders leave the gate to the moment they cross the line, they're on their feet — or more accurately, on their pedals.

It's not a style choice. It's fundamental technique. And understanding why we stand is the first step to understanding how BMX racing actually works.

I'm Brad Bellette , founder of Ride Together Australia. I started racing at 51, coming from a powerlifting and bodybuilding background — so when I discovered that BMX is fundamentally a power sport, it made immediate sense to me. Standing is a big part of why.

Control Over the Bike

When you ride seated, your body acts as a shock absorber — but a passive one. You're along for the ride. Standing on the pedals puts you in control. You can weight and unweight the bike through jumps and rollers, absorb impacts through your legs rather than your spine, and shift your centre of gravity to manage speed and line through berms.

Generating Power

More importantly, you can generate power. BMX racing is a sprint. Gate to line in under a minute — sometimes well under. That requires explosive output from the first pedal stroke. Standing allows you to put your full body weight and strength behind every stroke in a way seated riding simply can't match.

For new riders, this feels unnatural at first. We've all learned to ride a bike sitting down. Transitioning to standing technique is one of the first things a good BMX coach will work on with you.

Why Qualified Coaching Matters

And this is exactly why qualified coaching matters — especially for regional riders who don't have easy access to experienced instruction. Learning to stand correctly, to distribute weight properly through the pedals, to use your body through the rhythm sections — this is the foundation everything else is built on. Getting it wrong early creates habits that are harder to fix later.

At Ride Together, connecting regional riders with AusCycling -accredited coaches is a core part of what we do. Not everyone has a qualified coach at their local club. Not every small regional track has the resources to run structured coaching programs. But AusCycling maintains a network of accredited coaches across the country — and we work to bridge the gap between those coaches and the regional riders who need them most.

Building the Right Foundation

Every rider deserves to learn the fundamentals properly. Standing is just the start — but it's the right start. And it's far easier to get right with proper instruction than to figure out alone.

If you're a regional rider who doesn't have access to qualified coaching, that's exactly the gap we exist to fill.

What Australian Riders Can Achieve When Someone Backs Them

Wed, 04 Feb 2026 09:00:00 GMT

There's a moment in BMX racing when everything you've been working on clicks. The gate drops, your body does what it's been trained to do, and you're off the front.

I'm Brad Bellette , founder of Ride Together Australia. I've watched NT riders have that moment on national and international stages. And every time, my first thought is the same: imagine what would happen if more of them got the chance.

Team NT Punches Above Its Weight

Team NT has punched above its weight at national level for years. Riders from Alice Springs and Darwin competing at AusCycling Nationals, representing their state against clubs with far greater resources, far more competitive depth, and far easier access to the competition circuit. And doing it well.

That doesn't happen by accident. It happens because the people behind those riders — coaches, families, club volunteers — believed in them and invested in them. Not always with money. Sometimes just with time, presence, and the willingness to drive eight hours return so a kid could do three motos.

The Riders Who Didn't Make It Through

But the riders who make Team NT are not the full picture of NT talent. They're the ones who made it through. The ones whose families could afford the travel, whose clubs had the coaching, who got the right opportunities at the right time.

There are others — plenty of them — who didn't make it through. Not because of talent. Because of logistics, cost, and circumstance.

The Pathway Through AusCycling

The AusCycling pathway from local club racing to state representation to national competition is clear — but it requires resources at every step. Qualified coaching. Competition travel. The right equipment. Without those, talented riders stall out before they ever get to show what they're capable of on a bigger stage.

Ride Together's goal is simple: reduce the number of talented regional riders who fall through the gap. Fund the competition entry. Connect them with the coaching. Put the right bike under them.

The Evidence Is Already There

The performances by Team NT riders at state and national level show exactly what's possible when riders from the Territory get support. They compete hard. They represent well. They make NT BMX proud.

Now imagine what happens when we back more of them.

That's the work. And it starts with your support.

What Riders Miss When They Cannot Afford to Compete

Wed, 21 Jan 2026 09:00:00 GMT

The 2025 AusCycling BMX Racing Territory Series was something to see.

Riders across the NT coming together on the track. Junior racers who had been grinding through Friday night sessions all year, finally getting to test themselves against proper competition. Families travelling hours to watch their kids race. The energy that only a race series delivers — the stakes, the motos, the finals.

If you were there, you know what I mean.

I'm Brad Bellette , founder of Ride Together Australia. I've raced and volunteered in NT BMX for years — as Club President at Red Centre BMX, on the AusCycling National Advisory Council, and as Chair of the NT State Advisory Council. I know our riders. And I want to talk about the riders who weren't at the Territory Series.

The Riders Who Weren't There

Because for every rider who made it to the Territory Series, there were others who didn't. Kids with genuine ability who couldn't get there because the travel cost too much. Teenagers who had spent the year training but couldn't afford the entry fees or the accommodation. Families who wanted to go but had to make a different call that weekend.

Why Competition Matters So Much

Competition is where development accelerates. Racing against new riders, in a new environment, under proper race conditions — there's no substitute. You can train at your home track every week, but until you're in a full field of eight, getting off a proper gate, racing for a result that matters, you're missing a fundamental part of the sport.

That gap — between the rider who gets to compete and the one who doesn't — is what Ride Together is about.

What the Territory Series Represents

The AusCycling Territory Series represents exactly the kind of opportunity that should be within reach of every regional NT rider. Not just the ones whose families can absorb the cost. Not just the ones who happen to live close enough to make it work without sacrificing a week's wages.

All of them.

More Than an Entry Fee

When we fund competition entry for a rider who couldn't otherwise afford it, we're not just paying an entry fee. We're giving them the experience that pushes them forward. The memory of their first series race. The benchmark against which every future performance is measured.

That's what competition does. And it's what every rider in regional Australia deserves access to.

If you want to help put a regional rider on the start gate at the next Territory Series — your support makes it happen.

Why BMX is More Than a Sport — It's a System

Wed, 07 Jan 2026 09:00:00 GMT

I get asked a lot why I'd recommend BMX racing to someone. My answer is always the same: because it gives you something back.

I'm Brad Bellette , founder of Ride Together Australia, and I started riding BMX at 51. I've seen firsthand what this sport does for people of every age — and I want every rider in regional Australia to get the chance to experience it.

For Kids, It's More Than a Hobby

For kids, it starts simple. A bike, a helmet, a track. But what BMX racing actually delivers is something far more valuable than a hobby — it builds confidence, discipline, and a community . The kid who rolls up nervous to their first Friday night session and barely makes it through a moto is a different person six months later. They've learned to get off the gate. They've fallen off and gotten back up. They've raced against kids from across the state and held their own.

That's character development, and it happens faster in BMX than almost any sport I've seen.

For Adults, It's Never Too Late

For adults, it's something else entirely. I started at 51. My powerlifting background told me BMX was a power sport — explosive gate starts, sprint-distance racing, real physical demands. What I didn't expect was the community. In the Masters categories, there's a spirit you don't find in a lot of competitive sport. Before a national event, riders in their 50s and 60s will look at each other and say, "Stay upright, don't fall off." And mean it as genuine camaraderie, not just banter.

The Gap We Need to Fill

But here's what doesn't get talked about enough: not every kid gets access to this. In regional and remote Australia, the track might be an hour's drive away. The coaching might not exist. The competition season might mean flights and accommodation that a family simply can't afford.

That's the gap Ride Together exists to fill. We work closely with AusCycling to connect regional riders with accredited coaching, competition funding, and equipment support — so geography and finances don't become the barrier between a rider and the sport they love.

Categories for Everyone

BMX racing is one of the most genuinely inclusive sports in Australia. Categories run from:

Mini Wheelers — as young as two or three years old
Juniors and Age Groups — structured competition through the teen years
Cruiser and Superclass — elite-level racing
Masters — 30+, 40+, 50+, and beyond

Yes, beyond. I started at 51. I competed at the UCI World Cycling Championships at 55, finishing 60th out of 120 in the 55+ category. The Masters categories are fiercely competitive and ridiculously good fun.

Every Kid Deserves a Gate to Start From

Every kid deserves the chance to find out what BMX can do for them. Every adult who thinks they're too old or too late deserves the same. If you're in regional Australia and you've been curious about BMX — or your kid has — don't let the distance or the cost stop you.

That's exactly why we're here.

The Sport That Does Not Wait for You to Figure It Out

Wed, 10 Dec 2025 09:00:00 GMT

BMX has come a long way from the kids copying motocross riders on dirt tracks in 1970s California. What started as grassroots rebellion — no tracks, no rules, just bikes and hills — is now an Olympic sport watched by millions.

I'm Brad Bellette , founder of Ride Together Australia, and that journey from grassroots to global matters to everything we do.

Built from the Bottom Up

The sport grew from the bottom up. No corporate backing. No stadium. Just communities of riders who built their own tracks, ran their own clubs, and created something that outlasted every trend cycling has seen since. By the time BMX hit the 1996 Atlanta Olympics as a demonstration sport and became fully medal-eligible in Beijing 2008, it had already been shaped by decades of grassroots participation.

In Australia, BMX's growth followed the same pattern. Local clubs, volunteer committees, parents pushing wheelbarrows to maintain the track. The Red Centre BMX Club in Alice Springs — where I've served as Club President — was built by exactly that kind of effort. Riders and families who showed up every week because they loved the sport, not because anyone handed it to them.

AusCycling and the Modern Era

Today, BMX racing in Australia is governed and developed by AusCycling , the national body responsible for all cycling disciplines. AusCycling oversees track standards, accredits coaches, runs the national competition calendar, and develops pathways from grassroots club racing right through to international representation. It's the structure that turns a Friday night moto into a pathway to the world stage.

The Sport Today

Today, BMX racing is one of the most technically sophisticated cycling disciplines in the world. Purpose-built tracks, UCI-compliant standards, electronic timing systems, international competition circuits. The sport has professionalised without losing its soul — because at the bottom of every elite competition, there's still a Friday night race somewhere with a kid doing their first moto, terrified and grinning.

Access Is the Next Chapter

But that Friday night race costs money to get to. The coaching that helps that kid develop costs money. The right-sized bike costs money.

For families in regional and remote Australia, those costs are the difference between participating and watching from the outside.

BMX went from a dirt hill in California to the Olympic stage. The next great chapter of the sport should include every rider in this country — wherever they live.

Ride Together is working to make that happen — by funding coaching access, competition entry, and equipment for riders who'd otherwise be left behind.

The Ride Together Manifesto

Wed, 02 Jul 2025 04:04:39 GMT

We believe in the transformative power of bike riding to bring people together and change lives.

Our mission here in Alice Springs is more important than ever, as we strive to inspire and empower the youth in our community through the simple act of riding bikes.

You see, riding bikes isn't just about getting from point A to point B. It's about building connections, fostering a sense of belonging, and creating a supportive community where everyone is welcome. Through the shared experience of cycling, we can break down barriers, promote healthy lifestyles, and cultivate a sense of camaraderie that transcends age, background, and circumstances.

But we can't do it alone. That's where you come in. Your support is vital in helping us continue our important work in Alice Springs and beyond. By becoming financially founded, we can reach more young people, provide them with the resources they need to thrive, and create a lasting impact on their lives.

So join us on this incredible journey as we pedal towards a brighter future for the youth in Alice Springs. Together, we can make a difference, one bike ride at a time.

Let's ride on, together!