Dale’s first BMX bike was a Raleigh Supercross, later upgraded the following Christmas to a Raleigh Pro Burner. He began racing locally at the Nottingham Bunneys Burner track (later known as Nottingham Outlaws) in the latter part of 1982.
By early 1983, Dale was picked up by Bunneys GT, and along with his sister Rachel, became fully hooked on the sport — with their parents traveling the country and Europe racing both UKBMX and NBMXA.
It took a few years before any national wins in an age group dominated by riders like Andy Oldham, Damian Myles, Brad Smith, and Anthony Howells. Dale was later picked up by Shenpar JMC, and his first National Title came in 1985 under NBMXA.
Over the next few years, Neal Wood joined the class, and Dale, Neal, and Anthony Howells shared the titles going into the late ’80s.
In the next two years, Dale rode for Powerlite (1986–1987) and then moved over to Cycle-Craft in 1988, still supported behind the scenes by Shenpar. At 16, Dale wanted one more shot at becoming European Champion — a title he had narrowly missed a few times — but after crashing out in the final in Holland while battling with his European rival Rob Bulten, that dream slipped away.
The following week, Dale turned Superclass (Pro) at the UKBMX Poole National, placing 2nd in his debut behind Geth Shooter. He went on to podium at the remaining Nationals, score a win at the UKBMX Champion of Champions, and triple out at the BBMXA British Championships in Derby, rounding off a great year.
In 1989, Dale joined the new ELF Superclass Team, assembled by Vince Stobart and Hot Wheels. That year, he became EBA Superclass Number 1 and also took the EBA British Championship win at Slough.
During the 1990 season, Dale moved to MCS Europe, a team run by BMX Hall of Famer Gerrit Does, and later rode for Webco Europe before joining GT Europe, going into the 1993 season after a trip to the United States.
Dale continued to race across the UK and Europe over the next few years, making winter trips to the U.S. and collecting more British Championship and National Titles. At the 1993 World Championships in Holland, he finished second behind his GT teammate Gary Ellis.
In 1994 and 1995, Dale raced throughout the UK and Europe, with rivals Jamie Staff and Dylan Clayton pushing the level of competition even higher. When word came that the 1996 World Championships would be held in Brighton, England, Dale set his sights on one goal — winning on home soil.
He spent the winter training in the U.S., then returned to have a standout 1996 season, capturing National Titles, the European Championship, and ultimately the World Championship in Brighton — a victory he still calls the highlight of his career. The year was topped off with Dale being named British Cyclist of the Year.
After Brighton, at the close of the 1996 season, Dale began the next chapter of his journey, moving to the United States while continuing to ride for GT. He went all-in on racing in America but still returned to Europe regularly to compete in European Championships, selected UK Nationals, and the UCI World Cup series.
In 1997, Dale went on to win the European Championship and the UCI World Cup Overall, marking a strong start to the second phase of his career. Riding for GT and later Nirve, he continued his winning form, capturing the UCI Elite World Championship again in 2001, along with three U.S. National Titles in Cruiser and Masters, and two ABA World Championships in the AA Pro and Pro Cruiser classes in Texas.
Dale joined Free Agent in the 2000s, adding World titles — including a Masters win in China (2008) and Cruiser World Titles in both 2008 and 2009 in Australia.
When his Pro Elite career came to a close at age 35, Dale transitioned seamlessly into a new chapter, joining Free Agent / KHS Bicycles in a Team Management role. Under his wing, Free Agent went on to win three UCI World Team Championship titles and celebrated an Olympic Gold Medal when Free Agent’s Maris Strombergs claimed his second Olympic Gold in London.
In 2014, Dale founded Dale Holmes Racing, focusing on grassroots BMX programs that continue to this day. Working closely with the YMCA of San Diego, he runs BMX After-School programs and his long-standing “BMX Pro for a Week” Summer Camps, which have been operating for over 10 years. These programs continue to grow each season, introducing countless kids to the sport of BMX racing and inspiring the next generation of riders.
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