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It is the first day of 2024 and this is the first episode of the new year. Leading us off is a young man from Switzerland, Arthur Claessens. We did this interview at the end of 2023. At the time Claessens was in the middle of his military service with the Swiss Army. Sitting down with him and doing this interview I quickly realized I liked him. Claessens is intelligent, motivated, and humble at the same time. 

While doing his military service Claessens is working on his 2024 preparations for the new season. He's hitting the gym and literally riding on tracks in the dead of winter in Switzerland. He told me they have to shovel snow to ride tracks. 

In 2024 his focus isn't what you would think it would be. He's not concentrating on the Olympics but rather the World Championships and World Cups. He's looking further down the road to the summer Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028.

He finished his season at the prestigious St. Etienne BMX Indoor race. He made it as far as the semi on Sunday. Truth be told, any and everyone I've spoken to about that race has told me the fields are stacked and the racing is fast. Crazy thing is he's raced St. Etienne for 14 years.

Claessens comes from a family of BMX racers starting with his dad Vincent. In fact his dad started one of the first BMX clubs in Switzerland in 1983. Out of six kids in the Claessens family four are currently racing. If you don't know is sister Zoe Claessens you've been living in a cave. She's dope. 

Arthur, I wish you the best of luck in 2024.