While seven riders and a host of support staff are on hand at the Santos Tour Down Under in Australia, the team’s remaining riders and staff assembled throughout the day via San Francisco International Airport. Past world champion Alessandro Ballan arrived from Italy at mid-afternoon with Assistant Director Sportif and former professional Fabio Baldato.
Each BMC Racing Team rider found more than 100 items of racing and casual clothing, courtesy of Hincapie Sportswear, waiting for them in their rooms at the Hyatt Vineyard Creek Hotel and Spa. The first order of business for many of them was a training ride on their new BMC pro machine SLC01 and racemaster SLX01 bicycles. With heavy rain and strong winds forecast for the region for the next week, the opportunity to take a spin in overcast – but dry – conditions was a welcome one.
Sunday’s first official day of training camp will consist of a variety of activities on and off their BMC bicycles. Dr. Andrew Wong and staff from Cardiology Consultants of Napa Valley will join BMC Racing Team physicians, Dr. Max Testa and Dr. Eric Heiden, in the cardiology department of Queen of the Valley Medical Center. The riders will be put through extensive testing, including cardiac ultrasound, ECG and stress ECG tests, and a full battery of basic physical and orthopedic exams. A two-hour afternoon training ride at an easy pace will follow.
