Opinion Piece - Where’s the Development?

I, Justin Wahl, editor of PULL BMX, have an issue with their decision.

Rumors had been circulating for weeks about who would make the cut for Team USA’s trip to the 2025 UCI BMX Racing World Championships in Copenhagen. With 31 roster spots available, many within the BMX community expected a broader, more future-focused lineup. But when USA Cycling released its official selections, naming just nine athletes, the response was immediate and, in many circles, disheartening.

While I don't want to tell anyone how to spend their money, the optics here are difficult to ignore. The central question being asked in texts, starting gates, and BMX Facebook groups around the country is simple: Where is the development?

A Post-Olympic Year With Missed Potential

Post-Olympic years traditionally offer a low-pressure runway for emerging athletes. It’s a time when federations often shift focus to long-term goals, using the World Championships as a launch pad for Juniors, U23s, and new Elites. In theory, this would have been the perfect year for USA Cycling to roll out a deeper roster filled with next-gen prospects, the future Olympians and World Cup contenders currently rising through the ranks of domestic racing.

In fact, the year started with a promise. USA Cycling hosted a well-regarded training camp, and a group of U23 and Junior racers traveled to South America to represent the U.S. at the Continental Championships. The early investment in up-and-comers was encouraging, a signal, it seemed, that development was being prioritized.

However, at the National Championships in Tulsa, that momentum evaporated following the cancellation of a development meeting between USA Cycling coaches and rider parents. Following that cancellation, riders and parents have reported little visibility, communication, or follow-through on what comes next for all tiers of the program. The World Championship roster reflects that silence, and in doing so, it risks sending a message to the grassroots: There’s no room for you yet.

A Disconnect Between Grassroots and Governance

Perhaps most frustrating for many in the community is the disconnect between USA Cycling’s selective approach and the growing ecosystem of talent currently racing across the U.S. Through platforms like the USA BMX National Series, the nation is witnessing an explosion of high-level junior racing. Teenagers are filling gates in Championship categories, Pro/Am races are producing international-caliber lap times, and the ABA Futures developmental classes are thriving.

Given that context, the decision to only send nine athletes, less than a third of the available spots, feels like a missed opportunity. Not just to develop riders, but to build trust, visibility, and investment in a pathway that many young racers and their families are hoping will eventually lead to the World Cups, Olympics, and beyond.

Understanding that the budget may be tight, it seems flagrant for USA Cycling to deny riders who have competed in the USA Cycling jersey at the World Cup level the opportunity to self-fund their trip to the World Championship when nearly twenty spots remain vacant.

Looking Ahead

This criticism isn’t about the nine athletes who were selected, many of whom have earned their spots and will represent the country with professionalism and pride. It’s about the broader system and the role USA Cycling plays in creating sustainable, equitable opportunities for BMX athletes in a sport that already demands a lot from its participants, financially, logistically, and emotionally.

If the goal is to grow the sport domestically and contend internationally, development cannot be an afterthought. It has to be a strategy, one that’s transparent, inclusive, and proactive.

The 2025 World Championships will go on with or without a full U.S. roster. But for those on the outside looking in, the real question is whether the current path leads anywhere at all.

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The statements and opinions expressed above are solely those of Justin Wahl and do not reflect the official positions, policies, or views of the American Bicycle Association or any of its affiliated entities.