The Uplace-BMC Triathlon Team is starting this year with a few stars and big ambitions. The team's squad is more than impressive: Corinne Abraham, Bart Aernouts, Liz Blatchford, Dirk Bockel, Will Clarke, Helle Frederiksen, Sofie Goos, Romain Guillaume, Ronnie Schildknecht and Axel Zeebroek have been part of the who's who of the sport. A total of 39 Ironman titles and 75 podiums at major triathlon events speak volumes.
The team will have its first assignment next weekend at the Ironman 70.3 South Africa. “Last year we announced that we want to be the most successful team in our sport. We've worked hard ever since to create a professional environment that also attracts the talent we now have in our ranks," said team manager Bob de Wolf.
"Triathlon will become a team sport."
The team finds its origins in the structures of the former Belgian Uplace team. “Triathlon is developing extremely quickly”, according to Uplace boss Bart Verhaeghe. The current team was formed with the support of the Swiss bike manufacturer BMC. "Triathlon will become a team sport", Andy Rihs, head of the Swiss bike company, is sure “Of course we want to be at the forefront.”
In this context, the cooperation between the Luxembourger Dirk Bockel and the Belgian Axel Zeebroek should be exciting. Both have known each other since they tried to escape together at the Beijing Olympics, but are now traveling as teammates for the first time. But the other athletes also want to cause a stir over the course of the season. The following video, among other things, provides a corresponding insight into their preparations and ambitions.
"I am happy", according to Bockel, "To be part of the team. I'm sure we have a great future and can take the sport to a new level." And this is also the team's goal, as De Wolf frankly admits: “Our main focus is on the qualification of all athletes for the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii and for the half-distance title fights, the Ironman 70.3. The ultimate goal is of course winning the Ironman in Kailua-Kona, but we also want to celebrate victories at various Ironman events during the season. We want to be the best in the world and of course we want to measure that by results.”