Sport

Shepp trio fly flag for Australia at BMX Racing World Cup in France

By Thomas Beattie

Jun 9, 2026

Shepparton trio Hayden Fletcher (pictured), Mia Webster and Austin McNair appeared at the BMX Racing World Cup in France. Photo by Rechelle Zammit

Shepparton trio Hayden Fletcher, Austin McNair and Mia Webster were among the Australian contingent at round two of the 2026 BMX Racing World Cup in France.

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Having honed their talents at Shepparton BMX Club in the past, the three stars traversed 16,500km to compete at the event on what proved to be a successful outing for the Land Down Under on the weekend of June 6.

Fresh from claiming the AusCycling BMX Superclass Men National Series title in May, Fletcher placed 75th in the first round of racing in the Elite Men’s class in Sarrians, before finishing in 61st in the division in round two.

In addition, McNair claimed 99th place across his two rounds of racing in the under-23s Men’s class, as Webster took 23rd in round one of the under-23s women’s class, before finishing 12th in round two.

“We're incredibly proud to see Austin representing Australia again on the world stage in the U23 Men's category against some of the best riders in the world,” Shepparton BMX Club wrote on social media.

“A special shout-out also goes to our club coach, Mia Webster, who will be making her World Cup debut in the U23 Women's category. What an amazing achievement.

“The entire Cobra community will be cheering both Austin and Mia on from home. We wish them the very best for a successful and memorable weekend in France.”

Rounds three and four of the BMX Racing World Cup will follow in the coming weeks at the Olympic Training Centre Papendal, the national training centre of the Netherlands, near Arnhem.

Perhaps the pick of the bunch for Team Australia was Saya Sakakibara, as the reigning Elite Women’s titleholder claimed the 13th elite World Cup win of her career so far.

The Olympic champion expressed her belief that the experience in Sarrians will be a formative one, especially ahead of the 2026 UCI BMX Racing World Championships on home soil in Brisbane between July 17-25.

"I think the home World Championships is probably as big as the Olympic Games, and it's kind of a really good timing two years from the Games,“ she said.

“It's going to be so special to be able to compete in a World Championships on home soil, (with a) home crowd.”

“Yesterday, I was able to get the fastest lap of the day, and I knew that I had it in me to get this win.

“There's so many great riders on that gate today, and all I had to do was believe in myself, and I did.”