Racers and fans gathered in Tulsa, Okla., for the USA BMX Legacy Nationals at Hardesty National BMX Stadium. On Saturday, Elite, U23, and Junior racers lined up to battle for the stars-and-stripes jerseys as part of the 2025 USA Cycling BMX National Championships.
The Elite races were tight and tactical, with fresh faces breaking into the main events. Both finals came down to intense battles, but Cameron Wood (Phoenix, Ariz.; Mongoose Bikes) and Payton Ridenour (Tulsa, Okla.) delivered flawless laps from start to finish to earn their first-ever Elite National Titles.
1. Cameron Wood (Phoenix, Ariz.; Mongoose Bikes)
2. Drew Polk (Avon, Ind.; Factory Syndyt/LSG)
3. Zachary Vankammen (Lake Elsinore, Calif.; Daylight/Hero Bike Parts)
1. Payton Ridenour (Tulsa, Okla.)
2. Daleny Vaughn (Tucson, Ariz.; Biolab/DK)
3. Lexis Colby (Surprise, Ariz.; Supercross BMX)
In the U23 Men’s main event, two-time Junior National Champion Ethan Popovich (Valparaiso, Ind.; Huffy Bicycles) entered the third straight in third place but dominated the rhythm section to overtake two riders and sprinted to the win at the line. The U23 Women competed alongside the Elite Women, with Ava Corley (La Mirada, Calif.; Factory Rift/Tangent) and Keiley Shea (La Habra, Calif.; 316 Training/Chase) emerging as the top two U23 riders to reach the main event.
1. Ethan Popovich (Valparaiso, Ind.; Huffy Bicycles)
2. PJ O’Brien (Punta Gorda, Fla.)
3. Deegan Brown (San Jose, Calif.; Supercross BMX)
1. Ava Corley (La Mirada, Calif.; Factory Rift/Tangent)
2. Keiley Shea (La Habra, Calif.; 316 Training/Chase)
Reigning champion Sean Day (Tacoma, Wash.; Full Tilt/Radio) grabbed the holeshot in the Junior Men’s main event, but Evan Esposito (Palm Springs, Fla.; Albe’s/Syndyt/Box) was charging hard, diving inside on the second turn to take the lead. Gaige Gomolicke (Ukiah, Calif.; Supercross BMX) made a late move in the final corner to secure second place. In the Junior Women’s race, Derin Merten (Tempe, Ariz.; Race Inc.) was unstoppable, winning all three motos and leading the main event from start to finish to claim her first National Title.
1. Evan Esposito (Palm Springs, Fla.; Albe’s/Syndyt/Box)
2. Gaige Gomolicke (Ukiah, Calif.; Supercross BMX)
3. Sean Day (Tacoma, Wash.; Full Tilt/Radio)
1. Derin Merten (Tempe, Ariz.; Race Inc.)
2. Savanna Stokes (Las Vegas, Nev.)
3. Alexis Alden (Peachtree City, Ga.; Albe’s/Syndt/ Box)
Visit USACycling.org for more information on the athletes, events, and membership programs, and follow @USACycling across all channels for the latest on Team USA.
ABOUT USA BMX (usabmx.com)
Established as the American Bicycle Association in 1977 and headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma, ABA is the nation’s largest cycling organization with more than 70,000 members with combined racing and freestyle events at more than 300 sanctioned BMX tracks across the United States and Canada. ABA empowers and elevates the early stages of bicycle development by creating opportunities through facility development, programs, and national events. As a result, ABA has developed a structured blueprint. A cyclist can progress from humble beginnings on a balance bike to becoming a BMX Olympian by establishing these roots.
Through STEAM, scholarships, freestyle amateur events, the national series, the Olympics and new facilities built across the United States, these four pillars under the USA BMX organization will impact young riders and families: USA BMX Foundation, USA BMX Freestyle, USA BMX Racing and ABA Ethos.
