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5 BMXers you have to watch at X Games Minneapolis 2018

By Michelle Bruton

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - JULY 13: Jamie Bestwick flips during his 2nd run during the BMX Vert Final at X Games on July 13, 2017 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by David Berding/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - JULY 13: Jamie Bestwick flips during his 2nd run during the BMX Vert Final at X Games on July 13, 2017 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by David Berding/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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AUSTIN, TX – JUNE 03: Kevin Peraza participates in BMX Dirt Practice during X Games Austin at Circuit of The Americas on June 2, 2016 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Rick Kern/WireImage)
AUSTIN, TX – JUNE 03: Kevin Peraza participates in BMX Dirt Practice during X Games Austin at Circuit of The Americas on June 2, 2016 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Rick Kern/WireImage) /

Kevin Peraza (Park, Dirt)

One of Jamie Bestwick’s riders to watch in this week’s BMX competitions is park and dirt specialist Kevin Peraza — and you can certainly trust Bestwick’s judgment. The veteran calls Peraza’s riding “phenomenal.”

Peraza is fresh off a 2017 gold-medal run in the park discipline, where his versatility was on display as he seamlessly incorporated some of his street skills into his park runs. He also showed off some impossible height on a 360 tailwhip to late invert that elicited audible gasps from the gathered crowd.

When Peraza is collecting hardware for his park skills, it’s hard to make the argument that he could be just as strong in dirt, and yet he’s hoping to land on the podium in two disciplines this year as he challenges last year’s gold medal-winner, Colton Walker.

In Austin in 2016, Peraza sent shockwaves through the BMX world when he wrested gold out of the dirt competition with a huge frontflip. Maybe it’s simply in his blood; his dad is a former BMX racer and all four Peraza boys ride today.

The 24-year-old Mexican-American rider is a threat in any discipline he rides, and fans can catch his dirt run on Saturday at 7 p.m. ET. and his park contest Sunday at 4:30 p.m. ET.

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