In any sport winning momentum is always a factor, as a competitor (or team) wins, everything starts to fall into place. Confidence grows, of course it’s all psychological but it’s a good position to be in. Most American sports are loaded with stats some based directly around momentum. The NHL measure it with the last 10 games and current streak in their standings as does MLB, and NBA. The NFL have last 5 games and current streak. Although it won’t determine the winner it can certainly highlight favourites coming into an event.

France’s Joris Daudet would carry the most momentum into the 2016 Olympics after winning the 2015 European Games, and the 2015 USA BMX series crown. Although Joris hasn’t taken a podium at this years UCI Supercross Series he did win the last 2 rounds of the USABMX domestic Supercross Series at Grand Junction, CO and won at the 2016 World Championships.

In 2013 Australia’s Sam Willoughby smashed USA BMX records when he went on a rampage and won 13 races in a row. You will have to go back to 2014 to see wins at international competition with Supercross wins at Papendal and Chula Vista and a World Championship win at Rotterdam. The 2012 Olympic silver medalist is one of the strongest and most consistent competitors on the circuit and has had some strong wins this year at Rock Hill in the USA BMX domestic Supercross series. While his competitors were training or enjoying the atmosphere at the opening ceremony at Rio, Sam was taking one last win at South Park, PA less than two weeks out from his second Olympics appearance.

The 2014 Junior Elite World Champion, Dutchman Niek Kimmann, had a big year in 2015, in his first year in senior elite he won a World Cup round in front of a home crowd at Papendal, he followed that up with a win at the World Championships in his first year in the Senior Elite field. Kimmann had to settle for second at the 2016 World Championships but is the current time trial world champion.

It’s Maris Strombergs who always turns it on for the big events. The two times Olympic Champion has taken his share of wins over the years, his last big one was at the 2016 World Cup round at Papendal. Some might say he defies the whole momentum thing, picking and choosing his events. When he’s hot, he’s hot.

England’s Liam Phillips, the 2013 World Champion and 2014 and 2015 World Cup Champion won the World Cup round at Manchester this year. Liam owns Manchester having taken the win there for the past four years, Rio is a very different track to the indoor venue at Manchester but Phillips has proven he’s no one trick pony.

We’ll cover more momentum with the women’s field tomorrow.