Red Bull UCI PumpTrack - 2021: what it was like

It was very hot in Kazan last weekend. And it’s not just about the fact that it was plus 30 outside. The qualifying stage of the World Pump Track Championship was held in Uram Park. Riders from all over Russia participated in the competition: 32 athletes in total – 25 boys and seven girls.

The essence of the competition is to overcome the track with bumps as soon as possible, ahead of rivals. Here the score is not just seconds, but fractions of seconds.

Margarita Ivannikova

correspondent of “Championship”

Due to the fact that the competition was moved to a later time, I had the opportunity to ride on a children’s pamp track and feel everything on my own. You have to ride standing up and “pump” the bike with the help of hands and feet. Pedals are not involved.

Looking at professional riders, you might think that riding on bumps is easy. But it’s not. You need to be able to maneuver well on the track at high speed, fit into the corners and at the same time do not lose speed and do not fly out of the site.

To participate in competitions, you need to be one with the bike. It should be like an extension of the athlete. If this “match” has not happened yet, it is better not to even try.

Boys and girls from 17 years old could participate in the races (teenagers would have to take their parents to the competition, it is a mandatory condition). Plus riders needed a cycling license issued by the National Cycling Federation.

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What kind of bikes can I compete on?

You can compete on two types of bikes: BMX and MTB – whichever you prefer. This will not affect the result of the competition or the judging.

BMX – a small, nimble bike for tricks, originally invented to prepare children for competitions in moto freestyle.

MTB is a large bike designed for off-road riding.

In general, both options can fit well on a pamp track. Either way, success will depend 80% on the athlete.

On July 10, things went a bit off track. Due to very hot weather and rain the competition was postponed to the evening. So the riders had time for everything: to prepare better, to rest and to be nervous. After all, the competition is a kind of exam: someone likes to shoot early.

The guys and girls did their best. But, of course, there were those who gave a little more. Kostya Galyamov from Penza and Sasha Konovalova from Izhevsk became the winners of the Jump Track races in Kazan and will go to Portugal for the international stage in the fall.

Each of them had a significantly different view on preparation and competition.

Konstantin Galyamov

winner of the men’s race Red Bull UCI PumpTrack – 2021

Told about his impressions.

“The day before the competition I had a rest at home. I decided that this option would be the most correct for me. Only closer to the evening I wanted to ride an hour and a half in Uram Park purely for recovery.

On the day of the competition I had to leave the apartment, and immediately after that I came to the pump. I was upset that the event was postponed because of the heat and rain. I just had to sit and wait for everything to start. But it happens sometimes, in general it did not affect my condition. It’s all done anyway.

The heat itself did not affect me in any way. I have participated a lot in competitions that were held in such weather, so I just drank some water and went. It’s good that there are air-conditioned tents here.

I had never skated on the pampa, so a week before the competition I came to Kazan to see what it was like. I had about eight training sessions, got high, it was enough for me. It’s a hobby for me. So basically I came here for fun and won.

And now I have to get serious about training. I plan to train here, in Uram Park, because the track here is long and fast. I will improve my speed and endurance.

Speaking of endurance: to improve this indicator, I want to lose 5 kilograms before the races in Portugal.

Alexandra Konovalova

winner of the Red Bull UCI PumpTrack 2021 women’s race.

Told about her impressions.

“The day before the competition I was still in Izhevsk, so I had a training session there, at the local pump track.

In the evening I thought for a long time whether to go to Kazan or not. And four hours before the train I decided: I should put everything on the line and go. I thought that the most important thing was to arrive and work my ass off to the max. While driving, I imagined how it could be: I could win, and I could lose. I prepared for everything.

I had a train right on the day of the competition, so I got up at 5 a.m., and it took me another five hours to get there. I arrived about a couple of hours before the competition, and all this time I was rolling around, getting used to the track. It is very difficult and unfamiliar to me.

Alexandra Konovalova

The heat and the downpour, of course, affected my health, but it didn’t prevent me from winning. The postponement of the competition also did me good, because otherwise I would not have had time to get there.

I must say that the competitors were quite strong. The girls ride very well. When I realized it, I started to tremble all over my body, I started to worry. Before each race I was very much worried, afraid, I was shaking. In order to calm down and tune in somehow, I withdrew into myself, did not talk to anyone, thought about what to do to be faster than everyone else.

Just before the races, I was hitting myself all over my body. In this way I tried to invigorate my muscles, to tone them up and to let myself realize – you can’t relax! After all, there might not be such a chance as this again.

When I won, I had a storm of emotions: first I shouted with joy, and then I went to the athletes’ tent and started crying.

To each his own

Both winners are very different: their approach to competitions, their age, their hobbies. But that only makes it more interesting. You never know when you will get lucky and which way to act will work.

In any case, you should always look for something of your own and not be afraid to take risks. Sometimes it is a step into the unknown that opens the right door and paves the way to new opportunities.