The thrills of the Paris Olympic Games continue with the BMX Racing events, taking place on 1st and 2nd August. With the quarter-finals kicking off on Thursday and the medals being decided on Friday, here's how you can catch all the action, no matter where you are in the world.
The Olympic BMX competition features two disciplines: Freestyle and Racing. Freestyle sees riders showcase their skills with daring tricks in the skate park, while BMX Racing involves a mass start, with riders sprinting from a downhill ramp and navigating a course of jumps, rollers, and tight bends.
Both the men's and women's races are expected to be closely contested, with a host of potential medal contenders. In the women's event, Beth Shriever (Great Britain) defends her Tokyo 2020 title, having secured two world championships since. However, she'll face stiff competition from the likes of Alise Willoughby (USA) and Saya Sakakibara (Australia). The men's race sees the absence of defending champion Niek Kimmann due to a heart muscle issue, leaving a wide-open field where Joris Daudet (France), amongst a strong home contingent, is considered a favourite.
The BMX Racing schedule gets underway on Thursday 1st August with the Quarterfinals and 'Last Chance Races'. This will narrow down the field for the Semifinals and Finals, which take place on Friday 2nd August. The men's Semifinal starts at 8pm (CET), followed by the women's Semifinal at 8:15pm. The men's Final is scheduled for 9:35pm, with the women's Final concluding at 9:50pm.
Here's how to watch the BMX Racing live from different locations:
United States:
NBC holds the broadcasting rights for the Olympic Games in the US. Coverage will be available across NBC's television channels and its streaming platform, Peacock. Much of the BMX Racing action will be exclusive to Peacock, although the finals will be broadcast on the cable service USA Network.
Peacock offers a seven-day free trial for those who want to sample the service. A Peacock Premium subscription starts from $7.99 per month, while the ad-free Peacock Premium Plus costs $13.99 per month.
USA Network is accessible through cable plans. However, if you don't have cable, Sling offers a smart TV service that allows you to watch cable channels on your TV, laptop or tablet. USA Network is included in Sling's Sling Blue package, priced at $40 per month (with a $20 offer for the first month).
Canada:
Canadian viewers can follow the Olympic Games across several broadcasters, including the free-to-air CBC, and subscription services TSN and Sportsnet.
CBC has yet to confirm whether BMX Racing will feature in its television coverage, but all rounds will be available to stream online via CBC Gem. CBC Gem's ad-free on-demand library costs $5.99 per month, though the ad-supported version is free.
TSN and Sportsnet have not yet announced whether BMX Racing will be included in their daily programming. Both services are available online via subscriptions, with TSN costing $19.99 per month or $199.90 per year, and Sportsnet's SN Now service priced at $14.99 per month or $179.99 per year.
United Kingdom:
In the UK, cycling fans can watch the Olympics for free on the BBC, via BBC One, BBC Two and BBC iPlayer.
However, the BBC only holds broadcasting rights for two streams at any given time, so if BMX Racing isn't included, you can catch the action on Discovery+. Discovery+ offers the most comprehensive Olympic coverage in the UK, with 3,800 hours of live action across 55 channels.
Taking advantage of a special Olympics deal, you can subscribe to the standard Discovery+ package for a reduced price of £3.99 per month. This offer, valid until the end of the year, provides access to year-round cycling streams as well as live sports, including snooker, tennis, motorsports, and more.
Australia:
In Australia, cycling fans can catch the Olympics for free on Channel 9, arguably offering the most comprehensive free Olympics coverage globally. Viewers can also access the 9Now streaming service on their chosen smart device to follow all the events.
All BMX Racing action will be available online via 9Now, though television coverage remains uncertain.
Watching from Abroad:
If you are travelling abroad and attempt to access your usual live streaming services, you may find your access restricted due to geographic limitations.
In this instance, a VPN service can be beneficial. VPNs allow your computer to appear as if it is located in your home country, enabling you to access your streaming accounts and catch the racing action.
Our colleagues at TechRadar have thoroughly tested a range of VPN services, with NordVPN emerging as the top choice.
Olympic Games BMX Racing Schedule:
| Event | Date | Time (CET) |
|---------------------------|-----------|------------|
| Men's Quarterfinals | August 1 | 20:00 |
| Women's Quarterfinals | August 1 | 20:20 |
| Men's Last Chance Race | August 1 | 22:05 |
| Women's Last Chance Race | August 1 | 22:15 |
| Men's Semifinals | August 2 | 20:00 |
| Women's Semifinals | August 2 | 20:15 |
| Men's Final | August 2 | 21:35 |
| Women's Final | August 2 | 21:50 |
Don't miss the thrilling BMX Racing events at the Paris Olympics. With these options, you can enjoy the action no matter where you are in the world.