Bob De Wolf, team manager of the Uplace-BMC Pro Triathlon Team, is clearly elated with the new engagement of BMC and Etixx for 2016 and 2017, with a clear intention to continue this partnership until 2019: “This is a crucial step in the sustainable development of our team. The extension of the cooperation between Uplace and BMC is the result of a successful and very constructive partnership over the last 2 years. Etixx, our nutrition supplier since 2014, has been a dedicated partner for the team and discovered significant opportunities in triathlon through our cooperation. To take both collaborations to the next level with a clear long term view is unprecedented in triathlon history. The BMC-Etixx Pro Triathlon Team aims to continue to be the most successful and sustainable triathlon team in the world.”
BMC-partnership based on shared values
BMC is a premium Swiss bike brand that offers everything that gets a cyclist's heart racing. BMC is at home in racing, whether it is in the peloton of the Tour de France, on the trails of the cross country World Cup or at the high-class triathlons on every continent.
In January 2014, BMC announced its partnership with the Belgium based professional triathlon team to become the title sponsor of the Uplace-BMC Pro Triathlon Team. The ambitions were clear: the Uplace-BMC Pro Triathlon Team wanted to take the number one position in the world. 2014 was an amazing year for the Uplace-BMC Pro Triathlon Team with 21 victories and a total of 46 podium finishes, including 4 continental titles. In almost 60% of the races, our athletes ended on the podium. 2015 is evolving in the same direction.
David Zurcher, CEO of BMC, explains: “One of the most important requisites for BMC to step into a partnership, is that our partners share the same values. The Uplace-BMC Pro Triathlon Team stands for professionalism and high performance, which also reflects BMC Switzerland’s brand values. Furthermore, feedback from the world’s top athletes lies at the core of our sponsorship philosophy, it is an intrinsic part of our research and development process. The sponsorship of professional teams is simply the best way to validate our performance products, and the quality and superiority of our bikes is proven again and again through the successes of our sponsored professional sports teams. The authentic willingness of our team’s athletes to act as excellent BMC brand ambassadors is also very important to us as well as good interpersonal contact with them, and the team management.”
BMC choose to work with the Uplace-BMC Pro Triathlon Team because the team had such a unique stance in the sport. The results of this intense collaboration had a widespread impact on the company's presence in the aero road bike segment. The added value of the team aspect, even in an individual sport such as triathlon, has been significant. The impact has been quantified not only in terms of visibility but also in terms of a significant sales increase in the fast growing segment of triathlon. Devin Riley, Marketing Director of BMC-USA confirms: “BMC is the fastest growing brand in Kona since 2011, thanks to the Uplace-BMC Pro Triathlon Team. They allowed us to penetrate markets we didn’t even expect to be relevant in.”
Apart from impact on sales, David Heine, Global Marketing Manager BMC Switzerland, highlights the positive impact the partnership has had on the awareness of the brand. "We can see clear benefits of this relationship on our social media channels” he adds. “Our followers love to see our triathletes on their BMC Timemachine TM01’s and the team’s spirit is contagious, it is an excellent way to introduce emotion to our product. “So therefore we are delighted to announce the extension of our partnership. We are extremely pleased we can continue a very constructive partnership with Uplace and continue this unique journey in the world of triathlon.
Etixx: a growing natural partnership
Nutrition has been called long distance triathlon's fourth discipline. Etixx has been a dedicated partner of the Uplace-BMC Pro Triathlon Team since 2014 with certified and reliable nutritional support and products.
Etixx Sports Nutrition has been developed with, and is used by, some of the very best athletes in the world. Etixx’s mission is to support optimal, healthy performance by developing a complete range of unique, cutting-edge formulations with superior ingredients, supported by first-class product testing. Today and tomorrow, Etixx stands for the gold standard in Sports Nutrition.
Etixx was founded in 2009. From the very beginning, it was set up as a company dedicated to the nutritional support of athletes at any time of their performance. To that end, they created a wide range of sophisticated nutritional products and supplements suited to the needs of all those who choose to be active on a professional, recreational, or amateur sports level. A mission they will continue to carry out, today and in the future.
A profound partnership with the BMC-Etixx Pro Triathlon Team confirms their dedication to permanently develop and produce the best sports nutrition for triathletes worldwide. The close interaction and feedback from the pros allows Etixx to focus better on the specific needs of long distance or endurance athletes and adjust the range and products accordingly.
Davy De Vlieger, CEO of Etixx, has a clear ambition with this partnership: “Today, Etixx has already a strong presence in professional cycling as the partner of Etixx-Quick Step and the Tinkoff Saxo Pro Cycling Teams. Since 2014, we have a very constructive collaboration with the Uplace-BMC Pro Triathlon Team as their sports nutrition partner. This agreement emphasizes our interest to support triathletes worldwide. Together with the BMC-Etixx team, we want to become the best in triathlon (nutrition).
A real legacy in triathlon
Bart Verhaeghe, the founding father and the president of the Uplace-BMC Pro Triathlon Team, is clearly satisfied with the decisions of BMC & Etixx: “The intention was to establish a leading professional triathlon team with a long term sustainable vision. Our results demonstrate our holistic approach and professional way of running the team is working. The continuation of the BMC engagement and the further commitment of Etixx allow us to continue to grow and to create a real legacy in the triathlon sport. As founding partner, Uplace is proud to continue the operational running of the team and offer the team’s unique professional support structure.”
Team manager Bob De Wolf, stresses that the ambition has always been to create a long-term sustainable project. The continuous commitment of BMC, Etixx and Uplace, enables us to create real longevity, unprecedented in triathlon history. Obviously, it is thanks to the unwavering support and professional vision of Uplace since 2008 that this project has become a textbook example for triathlon.
