New Zealand BMX riders will be hoping the European summer weather improves for this week's UCI World Championships in Copenhagen.
The track is outdoors and Denmark has been experiencing some indifferent summer weather.
There was rain this week and while the weather settled for the first practice session for age group classes,
the forecast includes rain tomorrow and more expected over the weekend.
The BikeNZ elite team were forced to juggle their preparations around the weather in Switzerland too.
"It's just part of our sport right now when tracks are outdoors," said BikeNZ head coach Ken Cools. "There's nothing we can do about it but prepare for all conditions. I hope we do get through because it can adversely affect the outcome with a wet track.
"That will be one thing that all the riders will look forward to when the world championships come to Auckland in two years with the track indoors at Vector Arena."
The track has been prepared by UCI track designer Tom Ritzenthaler. It is 345m with some testing jumps at the end of the first and second straight stretches but none of the trick elements of hip and box jumps included in the Supercross World Cup in the Netherlands.
Racing began for the 14 years and under age group overnight, with 15s and over racing today ahead of the first elite practice.
The official elite time trials are tomorrow to determine qualifying, with the championship for elites and juniors and the World Cruiser title races at the weekend.
New Zealand has a team of 44 riders at the championship with 11 in elite racing.
There are 10 riders from Rotorua BMX ranging from Wyatt Stevens-McNabb in the 5-6 class to Alf Amor in the 45+ class.
