In December 2016, Assos announced what many no longer expected: The return to the WorldTour peloton. From January 1, 2017, Assos dresses the BMC Racing Team — for three years, WorldTour and Development Team. It is the first time in over 25 years that Assos has kitted out a professional team.
Why BMC?
Two Swiss brands, one deal. BMC builds bikes in Grenchen, Assos develops clothing in Stabio. The fact that the BMC Racing Team — with TAG Heuer as watch sponsor, another Swiss brand in its portfolio — is paving the way back into the peloton is fitting.
The rider squad lends weight to the deal: Greg Van Avermaet, 2016 Olympic champion in Rio, and Richie Porte, one of the strongest cyclists of his generation. The BMC Racing Team had won the Tour de France with Cadel Evans in 2011 and was an established WorldTour factor.
What Assos gets out of it
Pearl Izumi had outfitted BMC until 2016. Assos takes over and uses the partnership as what they internally call «Werksmannschaft Pro»: a test lab under race conditions. The riders test prototypes at the Tour de France, the Giro and the classics. What works goes into the series products. What doesn't work goes back to Stabio.
Assessment
The BMC partnership marks the beginning of a new phase for Assos. The brand that professionals bought privately becomes one that officially equips professionals. BMC will be followed by Dimension Data (2019), Tudor Pro Cycling (2023) and EF Pro Cycling (2026). The beginning is here, in a Swiss partnership between two brands that put engineering culture above marketing.