Teams that train together, race well together. Maybe BMC is taking that a step further, pulling all their teams together for one training camp?
BMC Switzerland and other partners of its professional racing teams met in Altea, Alicante this week for a joint team camp. The goal of the 3 day camp was not just to announce new additions to the BMC family of racing teams but more importantly, to provide a unique opportunity for athletes on the BMC Racing Team, the BMC Etixx Pro Triathlon Team powered by Uplace, the BMC MTB Racing Team and the BMC Factory Trailcrew to get to know each other and their team partners better.
According to David Zurcher, CEO BMC Switzerland “We see our racing teams as one big extended BMC Switzerland family and getting together in Alicante has been a tremendous exercise in getting to know each other better and strengthening the relationships among our athletes from different sports, who’s paths rarely cross. The sensation of being a big family, and one big BMC team, is such an important thread in our company story. We have seen the results of extraordinary teamwork in the BMC Racing Team’s Team Time Trial world victories over the past two years. The same approach to teamwork applies in driving our business and how we collaborate with our partners who are for the most part, also our team partners (3T, Shimano, Fizik, Pearl Izumi). Together with our teams and partners, BMC Switzerland can be confident that it is innovating and producing the best performance bikes in the world, validated in races time and time again.”
When World Champions from Mountain biking and Road Cycling Meet
The goal behind uniting BMC’s professional racing teams in Alicante was clear; to strengthen the links between its teams and partners and the media and to give the athletes the chance to meet up and share ideas and experiences. The BMC Racing Team stayed at their usual camp destination in Denia while the other teams stayed in Altea about 50km along the coastline. The riders in particular enjoyed various opportunities to get to know their counterparts on other racing teams – Philippe Gilbert plans to meet up with Romain Guillame and Julien Absalon for some training in the Nice area, Ronnie Schildknecht and BMC MTB Racing Team rookie Lars Forster discovered they live only 30km away from each other, so they will also team-up for a spin together. Newbie on the BMC Etixx Pro Triathlon Team powered by Uplace, David McNamee enjoyed an interesting dip in the pool with his new teammate Romain Guillame and their BMC Timemachines! The highlight of the camp was a group ride consisting of an interesting mix of bikes – BMC Teamelites ridden by the BMC MTB Racing Team, François Bailly-Maître on a BMC Trailfox, the triathletes on Timemachines and the rest of the group on a mix of Teammachines and Granfondo’s.
BMC’s investment in sports marketing has been, and still is, the most significant of any cycling brand in the world. Under the dedicated direction and commitment of cycling patron Andy Rihs the company has been sponsoring individual athletes and world class teams for over a decade. It also remains one of the only cycling brands to be the title sponsor of a World Tour professional racing team. Its commitment and investment in professional sports has led to the creation of teams that have produced numerous world class performances; such as winning the Tour de France in 2011, and numerous World Championship Gold medals; MTB XCO in 2014, Team TTT in 2013 and 2014 and the World Elite Road Race title in 2012.