Ross Cullen
My name is Ross Cullen and I am a 22-year-old professional BMX racer based in Preston, Lancashire. I train full-time with British Cycling as a part of the Men’s BMX Racing Podium Squad at the National Cycling Centre in Manchester.
Training can change massively depending on what part of the season you are in. Right now we are in the middle of the 2024 season, so training isn’t so intense at the minute. This week I am on the bike three times and in the gym two times, with slightly less volume on the track and in the gym. In winter we are normally on the bike four times a week and in the gym three times a week. These sessions are a lot more intense, as we are trying to build as much strength on and off the bike, plus plenty of skills and technique on the bike, before the opening race of the season.
I try and keep my diet very clean and healthy, I think of what I consume as my ‘fuel’. The better the fuel that goes in, the better my performance and recovery will be. I try to have a high protein intake to assist muscle growth and recovery, as well as eating plenty of fruit and veg EVERY day. I normally like to split my plate into one-quarter protein, one-quarter carbohydrates and the rest vegetables. My diet is specific to my needs, but everyone has different dietary requirements, so it’s best to get professional advice tailored to you.
Being on the Olympic programme and being a professional BMX racer is a dream job. I love being a part of the team and representing my country at events all over the world. It is something I have dreamt of doing since I first picked up a BMX bike at the age of six. I am totally grateful for the opportunities I am given day in and day out.
When it comes to servicing the bikes, we do have mechanics available if we need or want them, however, I love working on my own bikes. My father and I had a saying when I was growing up: “clean bikes go faster”, and I still believe this. I keep on top of my bikes and try to strip them completely at least once a week to keep them looking shiny and rolling well. If you look after your bike it will look after you.
Outside of the sport I love videography. I picked up a camera a few years ago and enjoyed bringing it to training to shoot videos of myself and the team riding. It is something I still enjoy doing and I think it’s a great tool and skill to have, as it has helped me to grow my social media presence with better content.
In five years’ time I would love to still be working hard as a professional BMX athlete. I love everything about my job from training, to competing and even recovering well. I want to continue this for as long as possible, and hopefully with a few more medals on the mantelpiece!
I stumbled across BMX a few months before my seventh birthday. I was quite a natural and really enjoyed it. Flash forward five years to my second world championships (in Birmingham) and I had my first ever world championship win. I had a lot of success in my younger years including world, European, national and British titles, but more importantly I have some amazing memories growing up racing my bike around the country and world with friends and family.
My favorite track is Glasgow – I really enjoy racing there and have some great memories, including my first world championships top 8 finish in 2023. It’s a fantastic facility to have only a few hours away from home. I also love the events in South America. Argentina and Colombia are amazing places and the spectators out there are always wild!
I do still get nervous before big events and I think I always will. I love feeling the pre-race nerves, and I think it is something I will miss when I retire. You can either let the nerves take over or use them to your advantage and let them fuel your performance.
The advice I’d give to a beginner BMX racer would be, get out on your bike as much as possible and have fun. And it doesn’t just have to be a BMX race bike. Growing up I rode skateparks on my BMX bike, MTB parks on a mountain bike and some sessions on the road on my road bike. Work on your skills and bike handling, there is plenty of time down the line to increase strength.
People sometimes think the only things that brings sponsors in are being on the top step of the podium and having great results. Of course, these things do matter, but they aren’t the only things sponsors care about. They will also be interested in your qualities as a person. How do you conduct yourself around the track and at race events? How professional are you day in and day out? What is your social media profile like and how often do you post good content? There are so many things sponsors may look at, but I wouldn’t worry about it. Keep pushing on and strive to be the best bike rider/racer you can possibly be, and I’m pretty sure it will work itself out.
