At 75, Liliane Veluire Is Still Racing Down the BMX Track

Mably – 11 July 2026: When Liliane Veluire stands at the start gate, it is not her year of birth that matters, but the first explosive pedal stroke. The 75-year-old from the Roannais region still competes in BMX races, in a field of rivals up to six decades younger. Her appearance on the sports programme Stade 2 has put the spotlight on an athlete who is an indispensable part of the French BMX scene.

Veluire races in the colours of Union BMX du Roannais and has known the track in Mably, north of Roanne, for decades. She has been involved in BMX for 37 years. A former beginner who initially looked in vain for an adult programme in Riorges, she turned curiosity into a long-term sporting project. Today, she is one of the country’s most experienced active licensed riders.

Her racing routine still demands the same fundamentals as it does for younger competitors: balance on the bike, a clean start, speed before the rollers and the right line through the turns. BMX forgives no lapse in concentration. Veluire does not race against the clock, but against the track – and against a field whose rhythm she meets with experience, technique and persistence.

The results of the Challenge France Sud-Est in Bollene in spring 2026 show that her place on the start line is not merely symbolic. In the Women’s Cruiser 30+ category, she was listed in 19th place for Union BMX du Roannais. More important than the ranking is the fact that Veluire continues to seek competition and holds her own in the national racing circuit.

Her story is not made up solely of start gates and finish lines. Twice a week, she passes on her experience to young riders. For her, fair play is as much a part of training as vision, cornering technique and courage on jumps. This role as a coach gives her sporting routine a second dimension that is at least as important.

Veluire has also experienced BMX’s biggest stages during her long career. She qualified for the 2005 World Championships in Paris-Bercy and the 2012 event in Zolder, Belgium. Crashes and forearm surgery could not break her enthusiasm. The scene in Mably therefore tells more than a story about age: it shows how competitive spirit, training discipline and club life can sustain one another.

In BMX, a sport of short, intense efforts, Veluire stands as a counterpoint to the rapid changing of generations. She remains an athlete, mentor and visible reference point for her club. When the gate drops, her age is just a number. The decisive moment lies between the ramp, the first turn and the determination to push hard once again.