New BMC/CCC WorldTour team reveals name for 2019 season

The merged BMC/CCC team have confirmed their name for the 2019 season.

From January 1 the holding company for BMC Racing, Continuum Sports, will be racing under the name CCC Team.

BMC Racing began searching for a new title sponsor after the death of team owner and financial backer Andy Rihs earlier this year.

In July, the team announced that professional continental team CCC Sprandi Polkowice would step in and secure the future of the team.

The new Polish WorldTour team will be a combination of senior management and sports directors from BMC and CCC.

General manager Jim Ochowicz said: “After announcing CCC as the new title sponsor of Continuum Sports in July, we are pleased to confirm that the team will be known as CCC Team from 2019 and become the first Polish UCI WorldTour team.”

The existing professional continental team CCC Sprandi Polkowice will continue as a development team, but will drop down into the third division.

Polish shoe and bag manufacturer CCC will expand their sponsorship to include a women’s team and become the title sponsor of WaowDeals Pro Cycling.

The team will be led by Classics specialist Greg Van Avermaet, alongside BMC riders Joey Rosskopf, Patrick Bevin and Alessandro de Marchi.

Other names confirmed for the new team include Team Sky’s Łukasz Wiśniowski and Simon Geschke from Team Sunweb.

CCC Team’s management will consist of Ochowicz and chief operating officer Gavin Chilcott, who will be joined by CCC Sprandi president Robert Krajewski.

Sports directors Piotr Wadecki and Gabriele Missaglia will join CCC Team from the professional continental outfit, joining Fabio Baldato, Valerio Piva and Jackson Stewart.

Marco Pinotti will remain as head of performance.

Ochowicz said: “Planning for the 2019 season is well underway so there is no better time to confirm our sports director team.

“The rider roster and race program are taking great shape so we are approaching the coming season with a great sense of excitement and motivation to hit the ground running in January.

“All five of our sports directors have many years of experience in cycling and have been instrumental in some of the team’s biggest wins.”

The general manager added: “As planning continues, we will have further announcements to make with new technical sponsors joining us from 2019 and more riders to add to the already confirmed list of 20 riders.”