BMX tracks in Catalonia

Catalonia has Spain’s strongest federation tradition in BMX racing and, at the same time, is covering its territory with pump tracks faster than anywhere else. Here are bmx.es’s 119 venues — 7 racing tracks, 56 pump tracks and 56 bikeparks and skateparks — spread across all four provinces: Barcelona (53), Girona (23), Lleida (24) and Tarragona (19), from the Maresme coast to the Cerdanya and the Pyrenees.

Racing is no sideline here: tracks such as the historic Velòdrom d’Horta in Barcelona and active clubs in Mataró, Sant Andreu de la Barca, Terrassa, Vila-sana and Valls keep the Lliga Catalana de BMX running season after season. Pump tracks are the other pillar: Girona and Lleida have a density rare in Spain, with municipal tracks in villages that barely appear on the map in other regions. And for riders who already jump, La Poma (Premià de Dalt) and La Molina (Alp) are two of the country’s benchmark bikeparks, with La Clau 77 (Sant Llorenç Savall) as the third option.

Racing, pump track or bikepark: what each one is and who it suits

• BMX racing (track): a dirt track with a start gate and banked berms. This is the competition discipline: you train and race with a club, on a race bike (light, with skinny knobbly tyres) and a full-face helmet. In Catalonia, with the Lliga Catalana as a stable calendar, it is the natural option if your child wants to race: find the nearest track and ask about the club school.
• Pump track: a closed loop of rollers and berms ridden without pedalling, by “pumping” with your body. Any bike works (freestyle BMX, MTB, even a scooter), it is free and no licence is needed. It is the ideal way in: kids starting out, adults coming back, and anyone after pumping technique.
• Bikepark: dirt jumps, dirt lines and ramps. It takes more technique and pads; La Poma and La Molina are full-day destinations. For riders who already have the basics and want to jump.

In Catalonia you do not have to pick just one: many riders mix pump track sessions midweek with a racing track or bikepark at the weekend.

Starting from zero

Start at a pump track near you: no licence, no special bike, no sign-up. The ones in Igualada, Vila-seca or Solsona are perfect for first sessions, and the kids’ track in Albons is ideal for the youngest. Wear a helmet from day one — see the BMX helmets guide — and read the skatepark and track etiquette before you go: turns, lines and not cutting across. If you do not have a bike yet, the first BMX guide explains what to buy without overspending.

Going with kids

Catalonia is ideal for family starts: a kids’ pump track in Albons (Girona) and quiet municipal pump tracks in villages and counties — Sant Vicenç de Montalt, Pals, Guissona or Vallfogona de Riucorb — perfect for first sessions at quiet times. Before buying the bike, read the BMX for kids guide: size goes by height, not age, and a certified helmet is mandatory from day one.

Racing competitively

If the goal is racing, the route runs through a racing track and a club: the historic Velòdrom d’Horta in Barcelona, Mataró in the Maresme, Terrassa, Sant Andreu de la Barca, Vila-sana in Lleida or Valls in Tarragona, whichever is closest. You will need a race bike in your category size and a federation licence to compete. The Lliga Catalana is the reference calendar: details, licences and categories are on the racing hub.