Olympic champion Niek Kimmann of The Netherlands won men's gold at the UEC BMX Racing European Championships in Besançon ©Getty Images

Olympic gold medallist Niek Kimmann and Zoé Claessens reclaimed the elite titles at the European Cycling Union (UEC) BMX Racing European Championships in Besançon.

Dutch rider Kimmann was crowned men's continental champion for the second time on the 394 metres Rosemont track at the BMX Besançon Club, following on from his 2019 success in the Latvian city of Valmiera.

Kimmann only progressed to the final in fourth place with a time of 32.264 seconds in his semi-final, but dominated the eight-rider final, clocking 30.920 to cross the finish line first.

Hosts France collected the other two medals in the men's elite race, with Jérémy Rencurel notching a time of 31.248 and Romain Racine in third with 31.407.

Olympic silver medallist and defending European champion Kye Whyte of Britain missed out on the final after finishing fifth in 32.465 in his semi-final.

Mathis Jacquet took the men's under-23 title for France in 31.103, while the junior crown went to Edgars Langmanis of Latvia in 31.767.

Swiss champion Claessens won gold at the European Championships in 2021, and repeated the feat in Besançon with a time of 34.155 in the women's final.

Malene Kejlstrup of Denmark missed out on first place by just 0.201, and Tokyo 2020 bronze medallist Merel Smulders of The Netherlands achieved the same result in Besançon in 34.835.

Olympic and reigning European champion Beth Shriever of Britain missed the podium in fourth place with her time of 35.733.

A Swiss rider also claimed the under-23 gold with Nadine Aeberhard's 35.736 run, and Laura Mougey of France earned the junior title in 35.563.

Claessens, Aeberhard and Thalya Burford earned the women's team time-trial gold for Switzerland too, the under-23 champion last to cross the finish line for their time of 35.114.

France were second with 35.265, and The Netherlands third in 35.414.

The Dutch through Kimmann, Jaymio Brink and Jay Schippers won the men's team time-trial in 31.228.

France took another silver in 31.360, and Switzerland earned bronze in 31.486.

Verona in Italy is due to host next year's UEC BMX Racing European Championships.

This year's World Championships in the discipline are due to be held as part of the first unified International Cycling Union Cycling World Championships in Glasgow next month.