On a quiet stretch of county-owned land once defined by grass and gravel and garbage, a ribbon of asphalt now loops, banks and swells in tight rhythmic curves — engineered not for pedaling, but for flow. Riders generate speed by pumping their bodies through rollers and berms, transforming momentum into motion without ever turning a crank. In September, that motion will carry Haywood County into the international spotlight.
Haywood County’s newest recreational amenity will host the Velosolutions UCI Pump Track World Championships Qualifier on Sept. 12-13, placing Waynesville among a small group of American communities selected for the global series that feeds into the world final.
The event marks the first time Haywood will appear on a competition calendar that stretches across Europe, Asia, South America and North America in a coordinated championship pathway overseen by Swiss-based Velosolutions and the Union Cycliste Internationale…