The final day of racing at the 2025 UCI BMX Racing World Championships was held under wet and wild conditions in Copenhagen. Despite heavy rain and unpredictable track conditions, Team USA riders looked strong across all categories. Highlighting the day was Alexis Alden (Peachtree City, Ga.; Albe’s Bike Shop), who brought home a bronze medal in the Junior Women’s main event, with Derin Merten (Tempe, Ariz.; Race Inc.) right behind in fourth.
In the Junior Women’s race, both Alden and Merten advanced to the main event after tactical rides in the semifinals. Mertenrode a smart and defensive race to hold onto third place in her semi, while Alden grabbed the final transfer spot after charging out of the gate and maintaining position through the pressure from the back of the pack.
The main event was hectic from the start. Alden had a solid start and found herself in a fierce battle for the podium, never letting up. Just behind her, a major crash took out half the field, but Merten was able to narrowly avoid it and remained in contention. As the race came down to a photo finish, Alden went bar-to-bar with France’s Lola de Oliveira. A late crash from Oliveira just before the finish allowed Alden to win the sprint to the line and claim the bronze medal. Merten stayed consistent and crossed the line in fourth place, capping off a strong performance for the U.S. juniors.
In the Junior Men’s field, Evan Esposito (Palm Springs, Fla.; Albe’s Bike Shop) earned the final transfer spot in his quarterfinal and looked to capitalize on momentum in the semis. Although he didn't have the best start, a crash in the turn ahead of him opened the door for a potential comeback. He ultimately finished sixth, just missing a spot in the main event.
The U23 Women’s race saw a tough break for Keiley Shea (La Habra, Calif.; 316 Racing), who crashed hard in her quarterfinal after being clipped from behind. Despite remounting and pushing to the line, she was unable to advance, ending her day at the World Championships.
Daleny Vaughn (Tucson, Ariz.; Biolab Sciences/DK Bicycles) had a slow start out of the gate in her quarterfinal but powered through the second straight to move into third place and hold it through to the finish, advancing to the semis. Payton Ridenour (Pottstown, Penn.; Union Square Sneakers) rode aggressively from the start and stayed locked in third position to also advance. The rain picked up again during the semifinals, making for challenging racing. Vaughn battled hard in a tight group but wasn’t able to make the key passes and missed out on the main event. Ridenour started strong and was in a transfer position early. As the group entered turn two, she was on the outside as several riders passed beneath her and was shuffled back to finish fifth, just one spot short of the final.
In the quarterfinal, Cameron Wood (Bozeman, Mont.; Mongoose/USA BMX Foundation) looked strong but went down on the third straight, unfortunately ending his campaign early. Kamren Larsen (Bakersfield, Calif.; Factory SSquared/Answer) had a fast start and was sitting third for much of his quarterfinal, but a tight battle behind him forced him to drop back to seventh by the finish, unable to transfer to semis.
Drew Polk (Avon, Ind.; Factory Syndyt/LSG) had one of the strongest runs of the day, clawing his way into the final transfer spot in quarters. In the semis, he continued to fight hard but couldn’t break into the top four. Still, making an elite semifinal at the World Championships is a major achievement for the young American.
USA Cycling’s participation in the World Championships is made possible through the support of dedicated donors and partners. To support the USA Cycling National Team, members can donate to the USA Cycling Foundation here. USA Cycling's supporting partner for this event includes HOVERAir, who shares our mission to elevate the sport and inspire the next generation of cyclists.
