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Pioneers 1987

DOES Nico (Holland)

Nico-DoesSpecial recoqnition European Hall of Fame

At the age of 6 (1976) Nico was already riding BMX bikes, which his uncle Pierre Karsmakers (former MX Dutch and USA National Champion) imported from the USA in the late '70s.

Officialy Nico was the first license holder in Holland and probably in Europe with an official registrated organisation. At the time his skills were very exceptional. Even in the USA, were he competed at the JAG BMX World Championships in 1979, American riders, among them several Pro's, were astonished by his technic and skills of ND doing one-handers, no-footers and such.

Besides racing, Later on Nico started his own company building and selling BMX bikes. He started WEBCO Bicycles in 1991. Up till this day (ending 2001) Nico is involved in building these bikes and selling them.

KD Quality Products AG, owned by Albert Knill in Switzerland, works with Nico on this. (KD stands for, Knill Does).

Besides all of this Nico still is actif as a trainer/coach on local level with his club "F.C.C. Lion d'Or" in Valkenswaard - Holland, on National level with the KNWU regional training sessions and at International level, when invited to give training/seminars and so on.

More then 25 years he has been involved in the sport of BMX and still lives the sport a loves. Nico never won a European or World title, did win several Dutch national titles and 2 third places at World Championships (Indianapolis-USA and Brisbane-Australia) but for sure deserves his place in the European BMX Hall of Fame as BMX racer/promoter of the absolute "first hour of the sport".

More information on Nico can be found in his University of BMX Advisor CV.

Inducted in 2001

DOES Pieter (Holland)

Pieter-Does-August-79-BMX-track-Eindhoven-5yoSpecial recoqnition European Hall of Fame

A pioneer rider. still active in the sport (without a break) and competing at the highest level, celebrates his 25th anniversary in the sport in July 2004, has been nominated: Pieter Does, Holland. Update: end year 2004 Pieter Does stopped racing.

For more information about Pieter Does, check out his profile.

Inducted in 2004

 

HEIDKAMP Uli (Germany)

Uli-Heidtkamp-2003-Old-Skool-Reunion-Dessel-BSpecial recoqnition European Hall of Fame

Uli was one of the first BMX racers in Germany. Started in 1979 and competed in his first international race in 1980 at the AVRO GOLD CUP TV event in Waalre-Holland. In the early days, Uli was the "face" of German BMX.

In his country he was a trend-setter at the time because he was racing in the oldest age-class at the time (16+). BMX was new and many people found it kind of strange, boys of about 16 year and older riding these small 20" BMX bikes.

Uli's dad Helmut Heidtkamp, was one of the first pioneers of BMX in Germany in the Cologne area and did a great job getting BMX off the ground as an organised sport and promoting the sport of BMX in general.

1980-Uli-Heidtkamp-Gerrit-Does-helping-out-during-the-AVRO-TVBy nominating Uli, we also honour his dad (died in the early '90 of cancer) for his pioneer work.

Inducted in 2001

History of BMX (1986 - 1987)

YEAR 1986.

1986 - January. It was in this year that another bicycle sport called Bicycle-trial or Trialsin, was officially enclosed in the U.C.I. - FIAC.

For the first time a World-Championship would be organized later on this year. Main-man concerning Trialsin development was Mr. Pedro PI, a former motorcycle-trial rider and champion. Germany and Spain were the countries were the concentration of riders was. Also France, Switzerland and Italy were involved.

January.  I received a report concerning the International Bicicross Congress held January 13th. at Long Beach California.

Very disappointing was the fact that without democratic decision making the I.BMX.F. decided to cancel the scheduled World Championship1986 to be held in Venezuela and they allocated this event now to England!!! Motivation was poor: Mr. Hoar stated as a reason for moving the Worlds that, Venezuela did not have either the personal or human resources to organize the Worlds. Mr. Matheus repeatedly refuted this, however without any result. The decision was made and nothing good be done now. Politics seemed to be the real reason to change the location. I wasn't happy with this procedure at all, but couldn't do anything not being involved in the I.BMX.F. anymore. Venezuela deserved better!

LYNCH Tom (England)

Tom-Lynch1986 European Champion

Special recoqnition European Hall of Fame

Tom Lynch, one of the most successful British riders who managed to rake the Superclass by storm when he was only 16 years old (in 1986). Tom stated "I still have me verses TEAM AMEV dreams". Insiders know exactly what Tom means by this!

Tom started out as a moto-cross rider but switched to BMX in 1980, competed in his first BMX events in 1982 and Tom finished his career in 1994.

MINOZZI Eric (France)

1989 World Champion

1988 European Champion
1987 European Champion
1987 European Champion (24")

Special note:

Eric Minozzi (FR) is one of only 3 riders that succeeded in winning a 20 and 24 inch European Championship title in one year during the 19 years of European BMX Championships. The orther 2 are Pierre van Zuijlen (NL) and Christophe Leveque (FR).

MORTEL van de Anita (Holland)

1988 World Champion
1987 World Champion

1989 European Champion
1984 European Champion

Anita van de Mortel finished her BMX career in 1991 and restarted in 2001!!!

NICOLAS Philippe (France)

1980 Philippe Nicolas of France with young Pieter Does HollandSpecial recoqnition European Hall of Fame

One can call Philippe the pioneer and trend setter for French BMX.

He was the first ever National Champion of France in the oldest age class in 1979.

Philippe was a good promoter for BMX, competed also in the AVRO GOLD CUP TV event in Waalre-Holland in August 1980.

Inducted in 2001

NYBERG Andreas (Sweden)

1985 Andreas NybergSpecial recoqnition European Hall of Fame

Another pioneer rider has been nominated, Andreas Nyberg from Sweden.

Andreas was the first ever Swedish BMX racer in the, at the time, oldest age class and the first one from Sweden to compete in international events, among others, the 1983 I.BMX.F. Worlds in Holland and the Murray World Cup in Nashville Tennessee, USA.

Andreas still runs a Bicycle and BMX shop in Sweden.

Inducted in 2004

REDOIS Xavier (France)

xavier redois 1984Special recoqnition European Hall of Fame

Xavier started racing BMX early 1979 and can be considered one of the pioneer BMX racers of France and leaded the way for a long period of time.

He never won a European and/or World title in the highest level class, however he still was a leading figure in International BMX for many years, together with Claude Vuillemot and David Kastler.

xavier redois 1987Xavier is still involved in BMX due to his profession working for a bicycle company in England.

A man who had to be nominated for the European Hall of Fame of BMX.

Inducted in 2001

SCHADOWSKI Rainer (Germany)

Special recoqnition European Hall of Fame

Rainer-Schadowski-2003-Old-Skool-Reunion-Dessel

Rainer started riding BMX bikes in 1980 and competed in an official event for the first time in 1982. He was one of the first German BMX'ers to travel with Gerrit Does to events in the USA in the early '80s.

Together with his Dad, Rainer started a BMX shop called "Rainer's Bike Shop". This shop still exists today. Since a couple of years, an Old Skool reunion takes place in Weiterstadt - Germany around September and among others, Rainer is one of the organisers of this event.

Rainer still rides his bike ('80's) once and a while.

As a leading, pioneer racer in the early days his nomination is a form of respect for the pioneer work he did.

Inducted in 2001