Review: UCI Supercross DVD's

Finally the UCI Supercross series is available on DVD. Now that's something to get excited about. You may have seen some, or maybe even all of these presentations, as they have aired across the world. You may have even captured them all on video tapes, well it's time to upgrade to get the complete set on the friendly DVD format. Any serious BMXer would already have started to build a good collection of BMX racing DVD's thanks to the guys at Transit, but it wouldn't be complete without the UCI Supercross DVD's.

The DVD set, starts from the first UCI Supercross race back in 2003, document not just each event but the evolution of the UCI Supercross and how the sport will be presented to the public in it's debut appearance at the 2008 Olympic games in Beijing. It was obvious from the minute that the UCI took on the X-Games style downhill racing format that it would work for TV but not so great for attending spectators. You couldn't see the full track from any one position and the terrain wasn't so friendly. The UCI came to a compromise in 2005 building tracks that looked a little more like everyday race track, except this time were built for the sports elite in mind only, with huge jumps and monster starting hills to get the riders up to speed right from the get-go.

Highlights:

DVD 1: 2003/2004

The first DVD in the series includes fantastic footage from back in the downhill days at Woodward PA in 2003 and Woodward West CA 2004. This DVD shows the emergence of today's stars like Mike Day and Michael Prokop along side the likes of downhill specialist Robbie Miranda and Brandon Meadows. Throw in BMX racing superstars like Randy Stumpfhauser, Robert de Wilde, John Purse, Thomas Allier and a whole bunch of BMX racers with big big, football sized, Kahunas. Downhill BMX racing may be a thing of the past, and may never happen again, this one DVD contains some of downhill BMX's highs and lows, from jumping 40 foot doubles to crashing at speeds of 40 miles/hour.

• Woodward PA
  • Introduction to Downhill BMX/UCI Supercross
  • Interviews with Brandon Meadows, Michal Prokop and Robbie Miranda
  • Mini documentary on Woodward and interview with Gary Ream camp director
• Woodward West CA
  • Probably the most knarly of all UCI Supercross tracks.
  • A brief street and vert X-Games qualifiers highlight
  • Qualifying highlights including ex-pat Aussie Travis Turesson taking a moto win
  • Interview with Randy Stumpfhauser
  • Interesting footage with someone wearing a bike cam on their helmet following the field in one of the semi finals
  • Look out for 35 Year old BMX legend, Steve Veltman, making the main
  • Through the Woodward West presentation there is talk of a two round series in 2004, and that Woodward West was the first round, but only one round was shown on the DVD. I am pretty sure the second round was cancelled.

DVD 2: 2005

DVD 2 includes the UCI Supercross rounds from the UCI head quarters in Aigle Switzerland and San Jose CA and as a bonus, the 2005 World BMX championships from Paris. The San Jose track becomes the first glimpse of the style of track we would actually see at the Olympics. Complete with the biggest starting hill that BMX has ever seen, and a monster berm jump that challenges riders, both mentally and physically. The tight corners and technical jumps brought even the world's best racers unstuck.

• Round 1 Aigle Switzerland
  • A highlight with Jamie Bestwick and Jay Miron putting on interval shows on an indoor half pipe
  • All motos and finals are included on the technical track at Aigle
  • Interview with Cristian Becerine
• Round 2 San Jose CA
  • Look out for typing errors like "Wide Bootes", "Luc Madill" and "Michael Robison", they must be struggling with Australian english. You will also hear the presenters having trouble with their sheets trying to match names with numbers and even simply pronouncing names a couple of times. It improves after a couple of initial stumbles.
  • Australia's Luke Madill get's a little mic time as does Kyle Bennett and of course Robert De Wilde.
• World championships at Paris, France
  • Includes elite mens 1/4 finals, all elite semis and finals.
  • Interview with Bubba Harris after the racing.
  • The racing is broken up with a little dirt jumping and street riding action.

DVD 3: 2006

DVD 3 Includes the biggest UCI Supercross round to date, at San Jose CA, then on to Frejus, France and the UCI world championships at Sao Paolo, Brazil.

• Round 1 San Jose
  • The biggest UCI Supercross race ever with 132 competitors in attendance. The Supercross series is important for riders and their countries to qualify for the Olympics.
  • Interviews with Mike Day and Michal Prokop
  • Aussie racer Todd Pascoe was asked a few questions about the track. Also a full moto of Aussie Daniel Johnstone tucked in behind DR for one of his qualifying races. While neck and neck with Thomas Allier, Aussie Michael Robinson ejected over the berm jump taking out half the field, he was able to walk out of it though. Javier Colombo also dumped his bike over the big berm jump. Daniel Johnstone got squeezed on the first straight and didn't seem to have the speed to make the berm jump, he pulled the rip cord in mid flight. Glen Codega made it through to the semi finals.
• Round 2 at Frejus, France
  • A very technical track that Johan says will be in line with the Olympic games and Tom Ritzenthaler says the gate is very much like what will be used at the Olympics.
  • A lot more euro riders than the US based races, not so many from the US and no riders from the Oceana region. Bennett, Colombo, Stumpy, Cisar, Rogers, DR, Allier, John Purse, Day were some of the bigger named riders in attendance.
  • Track must be taxing, riders gasp for breath in the interviews across the line
  • Wind was such a problem that riders couldn't use the pro section
  • Robert De Wilde, Kelvin Batey and Javier Colombo explain what a BMX bike is all about
  • Interviews with Thomas Allier and Donny Robinson
• Worlds at Sao Paolo, Brazil
• Quick interviews with Aussies Kamakazi and Josh Callan
• Women's racing included with semis and finals for all elite classes
• Interviews with elite women star Shanaze Reade and Joey Bradfrod
• Watch for the big crashes in both of the elite men's semi finals

There is a separate show for each event, each running at around 25 minutes, and usually include a discussion with Johan Lindstrom from the UCI, Tom Ritzenthaler who's the track designer and builder, as well as interviews with some of the riders.

Rating 19/20:
(I have had to change the rating system for DVD's I hope this works for you)

Value for money:	5/5
Action:	5/5
Entertainment:	4.5/5
Looks/Finish:	4.5/5

Comments:

• I love BMX racing DVD's especially when the focus is on elite riders, you won't find a better quality racing DVD right now
• One thing the UCI Supercross series is all about and that's action. From some of the biggest crashes to the biggest jumps you will ever see
• I liked everything about each of the shows except that they were presented to the general public and by people who made the racing seem a little less exciting than it really was. That said I still watched all DVD's twice in less than 36 hours.
• High quality footage, these DVD's are sweet. A little more care could have been taken with titles though.

You can buy your copies of the UCI Supercross DVD's direct from BMX Mania via www.bmxmania.com/ucidvds.htm

Now, only if ESPN would release the downhill BMX footage from the X-Games on DVD and I will be set for winter.