Lukáš Tamme: Bicross should pull together

Lukáš, you have completed your first season as chairman of the BMX commission. How do you rate her? And what was the strongest moment of this season for you?

I evaluate the season very positively, it was a huge challenge for me, which allowed me to look at BMX from a slightly different perspective. The biggest moment for me was undoubtedly the success of our riders at the European and World Championships, where we managed to get several great positions, which confirmed that Czech BMX has a really great potential. At the same time, I was pleased with the atmosphere at home races - seeing so many enthusiastic young athletes and their families living BMX is a huge motivation for me to continue working.

How do you perceive the current level of the Czech BMX Racing team? What do you consider to be the biggest success of this year and what prospects does Czech BMX have towards the LA and Brisbane Olympics?

I perceive the current level of the Czech representation in BMX Racing as very solid, with the fact that in recent years we have seen real progress not only among adult riders, but especially among youth categories. The biggest success of this year is certainly the already mentioned great performance at the European Championship and the World Championship in the youth categories, where we not only obtained valuable results, but also confirmed that we can keep up with the European and world leaders. As for the prospects towards the Olympics in Los Angeles and Brisbane, I believe that we have a very good footing - if we manage to maintain the set trend and continue to develop young talents in the U23 category, we have a real chance of participation and corresponding results at these top events. The key will be to continue working and supporting athletes at all levels.

What do you think is the biggest challenge that Czech BMX Racing is currently facing?

I consider the biggest challenge at the moment to be mainly the maintenance and further development of the membership base, so that BMX Racing remains attractive not only for children and youth, but also for their parents and the wider community. Ensuring quality training conditions and infrastructure across the country is also an important task, because without modern tracks and facilities we cannot expect further growth and improvement of results. Last but not least, I see it as crucial to strengthen cooperation between clubs, coaches and the riders themselves, in order to create healthy competition and a motivating environment for the development of the entire sport.

Do you see new talents among the young riders who could build on the success of riders like Michal "Frky" Prokop, Romana Labounková, or what you have achieved?

Among the young riders, I see several talents who have the potential to build on the successes of Michal Prokop, Romana Labounková and other outstanding personalities of Czech BMX. In recent years, a strong generation of riders has appeared who are not only technically advanced, but at the same time have a great desire to further develop and compete at the international level. It's great to watch their progress, their willingness to work on themselves and motivate each other. If we create the right conditions for them in the clubs and we support them in their growth, I believe that in the future we will see more prominent names who will represent the Czech Republic at the highest world competitions.

Do you feel that the media image of BMX in the Czech Republic is improving? What do you think would help bring BMX Racing more to the public?

I think that the media image of BMX in the Czech Republic is gradually improving, but there is still room for further progress. Recently, I see more media interest in our biggest achievements, for example the results from the European Championships and the World Championships, which helps to raise the profile of the sport. What would definitely help is more reports and stories not only about top riders, but also about young talents and clubs throughout the country. I believe that the involvement of social networks and cooperation with influencers could bring BMX Racing closer to the wider public and gain new fans and riders.

How do you evaluate the cooperation with the Czech Cycling Association and other commissions? Do you think BMX Racing is succeeding in advancing its interests?

Recently, I have evaluated the cooperation with the Czech Cycling Association positively - there is a greater openness to discussion, a willingness to listen to the specific needs of BMX Racing and to look for joint solutions. We are succeeding in promoting some important changes, for example in the area of ​​infrastructure development or youth and national team support, but there is still room for improvement. I think that BMX Racing is perceived within the association as a full-fledged and dynamically developing discipline that has adequate attention and financial resources. Cooperation with other commissions will definitely improve gradually, mainly thanks to better communication and sharing of experiences, which I believe will further strengthen our position in the cycling sport in the future.

A meeting of BMX clubs will take place on November 8. What topics will be discussed and what outcome would you like this meeting to bring?

At the meeting of BMX clubs, topics related to the development of the sport will be discussed, such as the improvement of infrastructure, youth support, cooperation between clubs, as well as strategies to increase participation in races and media coverage of BMX Racing. I would like this meeting to bring concrete steps leading to better coordination across the republic, sharing of good practice and set priorities that we will work on together. It will also be important to strengthen mutual communication and motivation so that the entire community pulls together and moves Czech BMX one step forward again.

According to statistics, we have over 800 active riders in the Czech Republic. How do you explain that only about a third of them regularly arrive at the Czech Cup races? And what could be done to increase participation?

More or less the same 1/3 of active riders take part in the race. I don't remember a race where at least 50% of the riders we have in the system were at the start. Which is sad from my point of view. I think that the main reason for the low participation in the Czech Cup races is a combination of several factors. The main factor is that I don't see the need to participate in the races, the riders don't need to go to the Czech BMX Cup races, which I don't understand. I don't think that all riders don't have the financial and time options to travel to races, it's just a matter of priorities. Another reason may be parents' fear of failure, or fear of comparison with better ones.

Olympic qualification will start soon. Is it possible to organize C1 category races in the Czech Republic?

Olympic qualification starts on August 4, 2026. For 2026, our organizers have not yet shown interest in organizing C1 races. So we currently do not count on holding C1 races in 2026. I think that this is mainly due to financial reasons, when the clubs themselves are not financially prepared for these races. For 2027 and 2028, it would of course be ideal if all Czech BMX Cup races were included in the C1 category. Holding C1 races in the Czech Republic is important not only for gaining points for the world and Olympic rankings, but also as an opportunity to show domestic riders and fans the high level of international competition directly on Czech tracks. From the point of view of BMX development, hosting C1 races is a great opportunity to increase the prestige of the domestic cup, motivate young riders and at the same time support media interest in this sport. The organization of such races, however, requires good cooperation between the organizing clubs, the association and local governments.

Isn't a joint Czech-Slovak championship of the republic being considered, along the lines of road cycling? Do you think it would be beneficial for both countries?

I think that the joint Czech-Slovak BMX national championship is not a topic on the table for us at this moment. The question has been asked how is it possible that we have over 800 licensed BMX riders who are not racing? For us, it is necessary to find the cause and solution of this question. Then we can decide what and how to proceed.

Where would you like to see Czech BMX in ten years? What steps do you think we need to take now to really get there?

In ten years, I would like to see Czech BMX as a respected and stable sports discipline, with a departmental center that regularly nurtures new talents, has a strong presence in the world's elite and attracts the attention not only of the sporting public, but also of wider media and partners.

ŽENDARACE has a strong place in Czech BMX, because it combines sports performance with humanity and the memory of Robin Ženíšek. How did this year's edition affect you and why do you think it's important to continue this tradition?

This year's ŽENDARACE made a really strong impression on me - not only because of the great atmosphere and sporting performances, but above all because of the sense of belonging that prevailed throughout the event. It was beautiful to see how current and former competitors, coaches, families and fans meet in one place and together create an environment where it is not only about winning, but mainly about the shared joy of sport and mutual support. It is the connection of the sports level, the human dimension and the reminder of Robin Ženíšek that makes the race a unique event that has an irreplaceable place in Czech BMX. I think it is extremely important that the tradition of GENDERAC continues into the future. This event not only unites the community and motivates riders of all generations, but thanks to the charitable dimension, it also helps those who really need it. Supporting children's oncology is a strong symbol for both competitors and fans and a reminder that sport can also have a deeper meaning. The continuation of this tradition means not only maintaining the sporting legacy, but also spreading the values ​​that are fundamental to our sport. Over the course of twelve years, thanks to all of you, we managed to contribute CZK 2,046,919 to children's oncology.