Team BMC enters World Cup season with confidence as Nové Mesto arrives on the horizon
The anticipation has been growing steadily for weeks. Now, in the second week of May, the watched pot finally boils: the World Cup season is ready to kick off.
“This is the moment we have all been waiting for, isn’t it?”, Titouan Carod remarks. “With these most important races coming up only in May, it has been a bit of a hangout.”
The French national champion won the last two World Cups of the season last year and admits there is a small feeling of pressure towards the coming World Cup races. “Now is when it really starts to matter”, the Team BMC rider says. “I am super excited about what’s coming.”
Carod is confident that he can again play a major role in the World Cups this year. He says that his ‘numbers are good’ and the ‘strength of the team can be an advantage this season’ –pointing to also having Jordan Sarrou racing under the Team BMC banner.
Sarrou showcased his strength for the first time in over a month last weekend during the final preparation race, in Chur, finishing fourth. Both riders are expected to dictate the World Cups races, starting in Nové Mesto this weekend.
Carod is looking forward to racing with his teammate and fellow countryman: “We can help each other to put pressure on the competition.” Sarrou adds: “I hope we can put on a great team show, and take advantage of – hopefully - a numerical advantage in the front group.”
Team BMC’s general manager Amaël Moinard believes that the riders can benefit from each other this weekend in the Czech Republic. “I can imagine scenarios in which Sarrou and Carod can work together and both end up on the podium,” Moinard says. “As they both are in excellent shape, we can expect them to race from the front. That will result in opportunities for both.”
The team starts in Nové Mesto with Juri Zanotti in the Elite races, Janis Baumann among the Under 23 riders, and Steffi Häberlin battling it out in the women’s category.
