UCI releases Olympic BMX list

The UCI released its list of Olympic BMX qualifying spots after the World Championships in Birmingham, England. Canada keeps its single male slot even though Coquitlam, B.C.’s Tory Nyhaug – who amassed most of the points for the spot – wasn’t in England. Nyhaug suffered a ruptured spleen in a crash during a World Cup Supercross final in Papendel, Netherlands on May 13, endangering his Olympic debut.

Australia is the top ranked country for both men and women. Like France and the USA, Australia will send the maximum of five riders to London – three men and two women. In Birmingham, Aussie Sam Willoughby took the Supercross gold, snatching the number one world ranking from American Connor Fields, who won the time trial event. Caroline Buchanan of Australia, who took the women’s time trial title, lost her number one ranking to France’s Magalie Pottier, new world champion in Supercross. The Australian program has a hard decision to make: it has two Olympic women’s spots, but also has three out of the top six ranked racers in the world.

Fourteenth ranked Nyhaug, who also ruptured his spleen and missed the World Championships in 2010, is optimistic about recovering in time to compete. However, it’ll be up to a doctor at Vancouver General Hospital to give the final go-ahead. Nyhaug spent eleven days in a Dutch hospital after the crash.

If Nyhaug can’t make the Games, Cycling Canada Cyclisme, the new name for the Canadian Cycling Association, will choose from Derek Sipkoi (146th ranked), Mischa Partridge (173rd), James Brown (179th) or Connor McCormack (225th).