Go Behind the Scenes with the Orbea FOX Factory Team

With their new custom OFT Orbea Alma and Oiz race bikes in hand, the Orbea FOX Factory Team head to Murcia for their pre-season team camp. Join the team in the Roman Spa town of Archena, Murcia as they get together to fine tune their brand-new team setup ahead of the first races of the season.

The team camp is the first chance to have the team together for a photoshoot, which Jennifer likens to ‘going back to school’. Pierre adds another layer of BTS as he picks up the Dadcam and he’s pretty taken with some of the props he has to work with.

This is not just a first ride out for the athletes though, with new management and team logistics, it’s the perfect opportunity to test the whole team setup in one place, before doing it again at the races. Everyone here is a professional in their chosen field, but it is the first time they will all work together.

Not only have the riders had some long, warm rides in the Murcian sun, they have had team partners in FOX, Shimano, and Hiru on hand to help the team athletes get the best out of their equipment. First off is bike fit using 3D mapping before the mechanics try to make the bikes feel familiar. Once out on the trails, suspension telemetry, once the reserve of gravity disciplines, but is now integral in getting the best performance available in cross country too.

The races in La Nucia, the Internacionales de Chelva, and Banyoles have become the de facto pre-season shakedown events, with plenty of teams and riders making the trip. For Orbea FOX Factory Team, this was no different. Simon Andreassen, Pierre de Froidmont, Rebecca Henderson and Jennifer Jackson came out of their first team camp together ready to get between the tape and fly the flag.

Winning races is always good, but this block of racing is all about fine tuning and getting up to speed ahead of the World Cup opener in Brazil. Progress, therefore, means different things to different people.

Unfortunately, it wouldn’t be the best season start for Jennifer, as she fell ill before the first races and opted to sit them out, focusing on her recovery.

Australian National Champion Rebecca Henderson proved that she had geled with her new race bike and the training had paid off, taking a silver medal in La Nucia ahead of a stacked international field.

Simon Andreassen would have a mixed bag at the opening race. A whisker off the podium in La Nucia despite suffering two crashes in the loose dirt. Simon would later suffering the symptoms of concussion and wisely sitting out Chelva in order to allow his brain to recover.

Pierre de Froidment became Mr. Consistency with ninth place at both La Nucia and Chelva, happy with a solid start to the year with a good base on which to build.

April sees the 2025 UCI XCO World Cup kick off in Brazil, and with some valuable race experience under their belts, the team will have plenty of time to build on this promising start before heading to South America.