←News

Defending champions Sakakibara and Kennedy among ARA Australian Cycling Team for opening UCI BMX Racing World Cup rounds

Jun 10, 2025

Reigning UCI BMX Racing World Cup champions Saya Sakakibara and Izaac Kennedy will feature among a line-up of nine ARA Australian Cycling Team riders at the opening two rounds of the 2025 UCI BMX Racing World Cup in Sarrians, France this weekend.

Sakakibara returns to the Australian jersey for the first time since winning Olympic gold in Paris last August.

The 25-year-old's first race since Paris was in March at the USA BMX Carolina Nationals at Rock Hill, which ended with two wins.

Sakakibara is joined by three rising stars in elite women's national champion Sienna Pal, junior women's world champion and last year's Under-23 Women's World Cup overall winner Teya Rufus and Bella May, who currently holds the red leader plate in the 2025 UEC BMX European Cup elite women's series.

All three are eligible to race in the U23 Women's field but have elected to step up into the elite class, a move Pal already made in 2024.

Four-time Olympian Lauren Reynolds will miss Sarrians but is set to race rounds three and four next weekend in Papendal, Netherlands.

Kennedy ticked off a maiden World Cup win in Round 3 at home in Brisbane last year and went on to seal the overall title following two silver medals in Tulsa, USA.

The 24-year-old turned a broken wrist suffered days before the 2024 UCI BMX Racing World Championships in Rock Hill, USA into an Olympic final performance 11 weeks later and has returned to winning and podium ways in 2025 USA BMX Nationals stops.

Bodi Turner returns to World Cup racing after breaking his femur at Round 2 in Rotorua last year.

The 31-year-old was able to jump back behind a gate towards the end of the 2024 season in Australia as his recovery progressed and grabbed a confidence boosting win at Round 1 of the 2025 AusCycling BMX Racing National Series in April.

Elite men's national champion Oliver Moran steps up into the international elite ranks after winning last year's Under-23 Men's World Cup series.

The 23-year-old had wins at Brisbane in Round 4 and Tulsa in Round 6 as well as two silver medals at Rotorua in Round 2 and Brisbane in Round 3.

Moran's two wins were flanked by Jesse Asmus and Jordan Callum's victories in Round 3 and Round 5 respectively.

Both Asmus and Callum will hunt more success in the U23 field this season.

Junior men's world champion Josh Jolly is one of 10 Australians also entered for Sarrians, as is current 2025 AusCycling BMX National Series Superclass leader Joel Marsh.

ARA Australian Cycling Team in Sarrians

Elite Women

  • Bella May (Casey BMX Club/VIC)
  • Sienna Pal (Terrigal BMX Club/NSW)
  • Teya Rufus (Maryborough BMX Club/QLD)
  • Saya Sakakibara (Southlake Illawarra BMX Club/NSW)

Elite Men

  • Izaac Kennedy (Nerang BMX Club/QLD)
  • Oliver Moran (Manning Valley BMX Club/NSW)
  • Bodi Turner (Maroondah BMX Club Eastfield Eagles/VIC)

Under-23 Men

  • Jesse Asmus (Nerang BMX Club/QLD)
  • Jordan Callum (Hills BMX Club/WA)

Australian riders in Sarrians

Elite Men

  • Kale Warner (Nerang BMX Club/QLD)

Under-23 Women

  • Bella Schramm (Ashmore BMX Club/QLD)

Under-23 Men

  • AJ Donald (Hawkesbury Hornets BMX Club/NSW)
  • Jye Furner (Macarthur BMX Club/NSW)
  • Josh Jolly (Ballarat Sebastopol Cycling Club/VIC)
  • Joel Marsh (Happy Valley BMX Club/SA)
  • Samuel O'Grady (Bendigo BMX Club/VIC)
  • Bailey Seckold (Ashmore BMX Club/QLD)
  • Rory Southwell (Macarthur BMX Club/NSW)
  • Flynn Sweeney (Nerang BMX Club/QLD)

Schedule

All times listed in local Central European Summer Time (GMT +2) first and Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST) second.

Round 1 - Saturday, June 14

  • First round: 11:15 / 19:15
  • Last chance: 12:25 / 20:25
  • Eighth final: 13:05 / 21:05
  • Quarterfinals: 13:40 / 21:40
  • Semifinals: 15:00 / 23:00
  • Finals: 15:35 / 23:35

Round 2 - Sunday, June 15

  • First round: 11:15 / 19:15
  • Last chance: 12:25 / 20:25
  • Eighth final: 13:05 / 21:05
  • Quarterfinals: 13:40 / 21:40
  • Semifinals: 15:00 / 23:00
  • Finals: 15:35 / 23:35

How to watch

Racing will be live streamed on UCI YouTube for Australian viewers.

Feature picture: Derek Betcher