Please choose your territory and language
France, English

Julien Absalon's World Cup Premiere in BMC Jersey

16. May 2013

For the BMC Mountainbike Racing Team the season continues at the highest level with the start of the World Cup series in Albstadt, Germany on Sunday. Julien Absalon deems himself very well prepared for his mission to grab his 26th World Cup victory. He will be wearing his new BMC jersey for the first time in a World Cup race.

Julien Absalon has already won every competition there is in cross country racing. Given his two Olympic gold medals, four World Championship titles as a pro racer and five overall World Cup victories, he is the most successful mountain biker of all time. Despite all his successes, the passion still burns inside the 32-year-old from the Vosges.

"The move to BMC has given me new motivation. Many things have changed for me last winter. The equipment, the teammates, the environment. I feel fresh like a junior and I am having a lot of fun, "says Julien Absalon.

He is especially fond of his BMC teamelite TE01 29er. "With this bike I have managed to improve my speed in the technical passages considerably. This is very important when it comes to win a World Cup race," says the Frenchman.

Given all this, plus all his experience, "junior" Absalon will strive for his 26th World Cup victory on Sunday. "The race course in Albstadt with its steep climbs may be the best for me throughout the year," explains Absalon. And he sees a realistic chance of beating world champion Nino Schurter. "I am extremely excited about the race."

All his teammates are just as excited as he is. World Championship runner-up, Lukas Flückiger, hopes to get a good start in the World Cup season, and would love to be on the podium together with Absalon.

After his surgery, Ralph Näf will decide with short notice if he will participate in both the Eliminator race on Friday, and the cross country race on Sunday. If he returns, it would be his first race in 2013.