100 Olympic Athletes To Watch
From Australia to Zimbabwe, China to the U.S., TIME takes you on a world tour to introduce you to the most compelling athletes you'll be seeing in the Beijing Games
Cycling
United States
Age: 25
Robinson's a top rider in BMX racing, the latest "extreme" sport to find a spot in the Olympics; it's basically cyclists sprinting on a dirt, and features a series of jumps and hairpin turns. You know, NASCAR on bikes. "It's like going down a roller coaster on a bicycle," Robinson says. "It's the biggest rush we've ever felt." Robinson, a 5-ft. 5-in. energy burst, eschews the stereotypical biker dude image: he doesn't drink, doesn't smoke, and has dreams to make it on Broadway. But before landing on the Great White Way, he's looking to match the mainstream success of a fellow extreme athlete, snowboarder Shaun "The Flying Tomato" White. Says Robinson: "That guy is where I want to be."
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