Successful season opener: silver and bronze for Team BMC in Banyoles
Team BMC celebrated a triumphant start to the season in Banyoles, securing silver and bronze medals with Jordan Sarrou and his French teammate Titouan Carod respectively. Juri Zanotti further bolstered the team's success by concluding the top 10 in the season's inaugural race.
Reflecting on his second-place finish, Sarrou expressed satisfaction with his performance and the effectiveness of his winter preparations. "It felt good to be back," he shared. "I felt pretty good, and this is proof that the preparations this winter were successful. Despite feeling a bit tired from a demanding training block in South Africa just before the team get-together in Banyoles, this result boosts my confidence for the upcoming races."
Carod also expressed contentment with his race, highlighting the second half as a particularly strong point. "I am particularly happy with the second half of my race," said the French national champion. Carod agreed with Sarrou: "This is proof that my winter was good, and I can continue to build on my fitness with confidence."
Zanotti also looked back on a solid race. "I raced today from the front as much as I could. I feel like I started the season the right way, and I am already looking forward to the next races, because the feeling was good today."
Throughout half of the race, the team's elite riders remained competitive for the victory. In a field featuring multiple World Cup winners from the previous year, Sarrou secured a solo second-place finish, while Carod fought valiantly to secure third. Zanotti's top-10 finish rounded off the strong performance for Team BMC in the season opener.
The U23 pilots of Team BMC also participated in Banyoles on Saturday, marking their first appearance of the season. Although the primary objectives were set for later in the year, the weekend in Catalonia served as a productive training block with the intensity of a race weekend. Baumann lined up in both the U23 (31st) and elite (39th) races, while Team BMC newcomer L’Homme focused on building his form through a training ride on Sunday after having finished 37th on Saturday.
Looking ahead to the 2024 season, Team BMC’s pilots are looking forward to the World Cup returning to Brazil, the World Championships in Andorra, and the highly anticipated Paris 2024. In Girona, just before the Super Cup in Banyoles, Team BMC reunited for the first time in 2024, to officially present themselves to the public.
Regrettably, Steffi Häberlin was absent due to a collarbone injury sustained in an unfortunate crash during the final training session before the official Team BMC presentation.
During that team presentation, Team BMC showcased their kit, BMC Fourstroke 01, and introduced new assets such as SKF’s bearings and Motul bike maintenance products. The racing apparel by Assos underwent a subtle makeover compared to last season. Notably, Team BMC’s pilots will be sporting white Abus helmets, white Sidi shoes, and white Assos socks in 2024.
To optimize preparations for the upcoming major events, Team BMC is set to compete in Albenga and Marseille in the following weeks.
