It’s been a successful 2019 racing season with the KMC Ekoï Orbea team, raking up victories at national championships, claiming podiums at the world’s most important XC races and working closely with the squad to further develop our bikes and product. And to think: this is only the first year together.
In our short time as a team, we’ve not only watched every individual teammate strive for bigger goals, we’ve also pushed the limits of the Alma and Oiz.
A PROMISING BEGINNING
The racing season was marked by seven World Cup events. In the first races, we set the bar high with 5th place wins by Florian Vogel and Malene Degn, but the best moments of the season would come later.
During the National Championships in July, we dominated the field in a way we never imagined. In the women’s category, Annie Last and Malene Degn won in Great Britain and Denmark, respectively.
The young Hélène Clauzel nabbed 2nd place in the French U23 championship, an incredible feat on the heels of ligament surgery last winter. And in the men’s category, Victor Koretzky (France) and Milan Vader (Netherlands) both claimed national champion jerseys, wearing the colors of their respective countries for the final part of the 2019 season.
We also celebrated the European MTB Championship in Brno (Czech Republic) when only one other cyclist — Mathieu Van der Poel — took the podium lead over our team riders Florian Vogel (silver) and Milan Vader (bronze), capturing a historic milestone for our Orbea Oiz.
SHINING UNTIL THE END
In August, the team resumed the World Cup circuit with vigor. In Val di Sole (Italy), Milan Vader reached an honorable 6th place. A week later in Lenzerheide (Switzerland), Victor Koretzky was merely one step away from glory, flexing a season of progression as he stood in 4th place.
Meanwhile, Annie Last continued to prove her talent at the seventh and final World Cup race in Snowshoe (USA), standing in 3rd place after leading the race at numerous times.
But the finale of World Cup races didn’t stop Team KMC Ekoï Orbea from shining, especially in Victor Koretzky’s commanding form. In October came one of his best performances. During the Tokyo Pre-Olympic Race, the Frenchman came in 2nd place, just behind the great Nino Schurter. And we have to ask: will 2020 be Victor’s greatest year? He sits in 10th place in the individual UCI rankings and is already a force to be reckoned with in any XC race.
LEADING WITH MyO
Much like the athletes pushing their limits, working with KMC Ekoï Orbea has allowed us to push our technology and precision of the Oiz and Alma and refine the team bikes’ specs, details and demands for each rider.
Recently, Victor debuted his new, personalized 2020 Oiz at Roc d’Azur. Inspired by the colors of the French flag, his model was fully designed through our MyO customization tool, available on our website, and is just one example of how far this program can go. With endless options to customize a bike, MyO is leading the way for bike design and personalization unique for every rider at every level.
While the 2019 season has come to an end, we’re excited for 2020 as we set new goals and get ready to push ourselves further than we ever have. Start the count down.