BOMD – Bicycle Of Motocross Day

Once upon a time Fabien Rolland, a well known French photographer and journalist, had a dream. As he saw many photos and films about our sport’s beginning, he would relive those days!

After several years of prospects, he found the right location, at Montdoumerc, south-western France, and created BOMD, for Bicycle Of Motocross Day. A revival of the early days of BMX.

This year was the second edition of BOMB. 250 riders, a party, a celebration, more than a race; 7 categories, Early 1900 to 1979, Vintage 1980 to 1989, Open, Vintage girls, open girls, young and sidehacks.

So who was there? Just to name a few French, European and World Champions from the 80s and 90s – Claude Vuillemot, Xavier Redois, Fred Legall, Denis Casammatta, Edouard Cordier and many other Superclass riders like Chris Vico or Emmanuel Poussin, Valérie Huber, the 50+ 2023 World Challenge Winner JR Ducos de la Hitte alias the Pink Panther, 2023 boys 15 European Champion Terry Venturini, the Groland knightrider alias Serge Nuques, professional motorbike rider and Didier Coste, former Bicross Magazine head editor.

Friday night there was a Freestyle show with the Gerard Garcia Stunt show team and some add-on riders, Stéphane Meneau and Jean Somsois, former Haro rider. Alongside dinner, all the memories were coming back.

Saturday morning was practice, the track offering a steep hill, whoops and a water jump. A real downhill track, sliding one foot out in the turns. In the finals, Denis Casammatta took the holeshot, drifted too wide and crashed out, leaving the former French Superclass Number 1, intelligent as a fox, Claude Vuillemot took the win.

Then came the main category, the early 1979 or older bikes. Terry Venturini, the new 15 years European Champion, took the holeshot and won THE race of the weekend. During the podium interview he told us he learnt about his sports history and what the atmosphere was before. BMX – uncultured: 1 – 0. Saturday evening we partied into the night, and a small contest during which a rider did a trick changing his life… He asked his long-time girlfriend to marry him – and she said YES!

No BOMD next year, the field location is not available. But 2025 is not that far away and you know what, it’s going to be huge!!

Words – Christophe Gentizon

Photos – Fabien Rolland