Latvia to host first-ever BMX World Championship in 2030
Latvia has been awarded the right to host the 2030 BMX cycling World Championship, marking the first time a Baltic state has secured such an event. The competition is planned for Valmiera.
Latvia has won the bid to host the 2030 UCI BMX Cycling World Championship, becoming the first Baltic country ever entrusted with a world championship in any cycling discipline. Latvia's bid beat out competing proposals from Denmark and wealthy Saudi Arabia.
Toms Markss, secretary general of the Latvian Cycling Federation, said the decision reflected both the sports infrastructure built in Valmiera — including the track itself, surrounding parking areas, the Valmiera Olympic Centre and hotels — and the strong results of Latvian athletes at international competitions, which have established the country as a major force in BMX cycling. Markss noted that the president of the Danish Cycling Federation had also acknowledged these factors as decisive.
State support needed
Latvia's National Sports Council has already recognized hosting the championship as a matter of national importance. The federation now plans to pursue state funding, since it says it cannot cover the costs of the event on its own. Markss estimated that the required public support will exceed one million euros.
He expressed optimism about securing the funding, pointing to experience from two previously hosted European championships, when accommodation filled up not only in Valmiera but also in Cēsis, Smiltene and elsewhere across the Vidzeme region. According to Markss, research conducted on the economic impact of the European championships and the projected effect of a world championship shows strongly positive results for both sport and the national economy.
Beyond the world championship, Latvia has also secured the right to host one of four rounds of the UCI Nations Cup for junior road cyclists in 2027, giving local audiences a chance to see future stars of road cycling.
