Santa Rosa/Paris, 2009-02-20

BMC invited by ASO to race at Critérium International for 2nd year in a row

For the second year running, the BMC Racing Team has earned an invitation to the prestigious spring race in northern France. “This is a perfect race for the team and we are really happy to be going again this year,” Directeur Sportif John Lelangue said. “It is a complete stage race in just three stages and always draws the top racers for every edition.”

BMC has kicked off the 2009 season touting a new ambitious multi-year plan which they hope will ultimately find them being competitive at the Tour de France. “We want to get into all the Hors Categorie races we can since they are all very important to our development,” Lelangue explained. “Invitations like this one are a good sign that the race organizers also believe in our ability to be competitive and add another dimension to their races.”

A strong spring campaign solidifying for BMC

In the 2008 edition of the Critérium International, multiple BMC riders contributed their firepower to light up the race. There is every expectation that BMC will work to play a bigger role in 2009. “Last year we had Ian McKissick in a long breakaway on the first stage, and then Danilo Wyss and Alex Moos were able to finish off the stages with strong placings in the sprints,” Lelangue remembered. “This year we will be coming into the Critérium International after doing a race in the Netherlands and one in Belgium the week before with the same 8 riders, so we should be well
prepared for the three hard stages in France.” Races with such a long, important history like the Critérium International will always inspire strong rides from the top racers. Being an important date on any stage racer’s calendar gives the Critérium International particular importance for
a team like BMC which strives to become one of the top stage racing teams in the world.