# CCC Pro Team

CCC Pro Team (UCI team code: CCC) was a UCI WorldTeam co-owned and managed by American cyclist Jim Ochowicz, who founded the 7-Eleven Cycling Team. After its last title sponsor, CCC, a Polish shoe retailer, pulled out due to financial difficulties resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, Ochowicz was unable to find another major sponsor, so the team disbanded at the end of the 2020 season. In its place, Belgian UCI ProTeam Circus–Wanty Gobert took over the team's license and was promoted to a UCI WorldTeam.

## Ownership

The team was owned by Swiss businessman Andy Rihs until his death. After his death the team passed to Jim Ochowicz and Gavin Chilcott.

## History

The team was founded as BMC Racing Team in 2007, sponsored by the bicycle manufacturer BMC Switzerland. The team signed a number of major international riders for the 2010 season, including 2009 World Champion, two-time Tour de France runner-up and 2011 winner Cadel Evans, 2009 U.S. Road Race Champion George Hincapie, 2008 World Champion Alessandro Ballan and Spring Classics specialists Karsten Kroon and Marcus Burghardt.
In 2010, the team participated in their first Grand Tours, having been invited to compete in the 2010 Tour de France and the 2010 Giro d'Italia. In 2011, the team attained UCI ProTeam status, the most prestigious classification available, and BMC rider Cadel Evans won the 2011 Tour de France. For 2012 the team signed Thor Hushovd and Philippe Gilbert, the 2010 and 2012 world-champions respectively.
In 2012, Evans was unable to defend his title at the Tour de France, finishing in seventh overall, two places behind teammate Tejay van Garderen.
Cadel Evans placed third overall at the 2013 Giro d'Italia.
At the 2013 Tour de France, Cadel Evans finished 39th, Tejay van Garderen 45th, with Steve Morabito the highest placed overall at 35th. Shortly after the end of the Tour, it was announced that John Lelangue, who had been directeur sportif since the team was founded in 2007, was leaving the team "for personal reasons". In September 2013 Jim Ochowicz announced the appointment of Valerio Piva as Lelangue's replacement.
For the 2015 season, BMC signed Alessandro De Marchi, Damiano Caruso and Jempy Drucker. The team also announced they had signed Rohan Dennis – his transfer however was effective immediately. Van Avermaet finished 8th in the World Tour individual classification. Meanwhile, the team won the Team Time Trial World Championship.
For the 2016 season, the team signed Richie Porte. He scored podiums at the Tour Down Under and Paris–Nice to finish 7th in the World Tour individual classification, whereas Van Avermaet finished 6th overall after winning the Tirreno–Adriatico and GP de Montréal.
In the 2017 season, Van Avermaet won the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, E3 Harelbeke, Gent–Wevelgem and the Paris–Roubaix, therefore he claimed the first place at the World Tour individual classification. Porte finished 12th overall, having won the Tour Down Under and Tour de Romandie. BMC ranked third in the World Tour points classification.
In the 2018 season, Porte won the Tour de Suisse.
In July 2018, the team announced that CCC would become the new title sponsor of the Continuum Sports-owned team, a move that would expand CCC's presence in cycling, with CCC's Professional Continental team, CCC Sprandi Polkowice, stepping down to the Continental level for the 2019 season as CCC Development Team. Van Avermaet will continue as leader, whereas Porte is expected to leave the team.
In September 2020 CCC Team agreed to sell their WorldTour licence to Belgian ProTeam Circus-Wanty Gobert.

## Doping

In April 2010, Thomas Frei tested positive for erythropoietin (EPO), Frei was immediately withdrawn from racing by the team. Frei was later sacked by the team.
In August 2017, the UCI confirmed that Samuel Sánchez had returned a positive out of competition drug test for GHRP-2 (Pralmorelin). He was immediately suspended by the team pending analysis of his B-sample.
In February 2019, Kronen Zeitung broke news that a number of professional cyclists had been implicated in the doping scandal uncovered at the 2019 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships. Later, Stefan Denifl confessed to blood doping in a police interview. Denifl had been due to join CCC Team in 2019 but his contract was terminated at Denifl's request in December 2018. CCC Team general manager Jim Ochowicz confirmed that the team's medical assessment of Denifl's biological passport showed no warning signs of blood doping.

## Final team roster

    As of August 19, 2020.
| | Rider | Date of birth |
| Will Barta (USA) | Will Barta (USA) | (1996-01-04)January 4, 1996 (aged 24) |
| Patrick Bevin (NZL) | Patrick Bevin (NZL) | (1991-02-15)February 15, 1991 (aged 29) |
| Josef Černý (CZE) | Josef Černý (CZE) | (1993-05-11)May 11, 1993 (aged 27) |
| Víctor de la Parte (ESP) | Víctor de la Parte (ESP) | (1986-06-22)June 22, 1986 (aged 34) |
| Alessandro De Marchi (ITA) | Alessandro De Marchi (ITA) | (1986-05-19)May 19, 1986 (aged 34) |
| Simon Geschke (GER) | Simon Geschke (GER) | (1986-03-13)March 13, 1986 (aged 34) |
| Kamil Gradek (POL) | Kamil Gradek (POL) | (1990-09-17)September 17, 1990 (aged 30) |
| Jan Hirt (CZE) | Jan Hirt (CZE) | (1991-01-21)January 21, 1991 (aged 29) |
| Jonas Koch (GER) | Jonas Koch (GER) | (1993-06-25)June 25, 1993 (aged 27) |
| Pavel Kochetkov (RUS) | Pavel Kochetkov (RUS) | (1986-03-07)March 7, 1986 (aged 34) |
| Kamil Małecki (POL) | Kamil Małecki (POL) | (1996-01-02)January 2, 1996 (aged 24) |
| Jakub Mareczko (ITA) | Jakub Mareczko (ITA) | (1994-04-30)April 30, 1994 (aged 26) |
| Michał Paluta (POL) | Michał Paluta (POL) | (1995-10-04)October 4, 1995 (aged 25) |
| Serge Pauwels (BEL) | Serge Pauwels (BEL) | (1983-11-21)November 21, 1983 (aged 37) |
| | Rider | Date of birth |
| Joey Rosskopf (USA) | Joey Rosskopf (USA) | (1989-09-05)September 5, 1989 (aged 31) |
| Szymon Sajnok (POL) | Szymon Sajnok (POL) | (1997-08-24)August 24, 1997 (aged 23) |
| Michael Schär (SUI) | Michael Schär (SUI) | (1986-09-29)September 29, 1986 (aged 34) |
| Matteo Trentin (ITA) | Matteo Trentin (ITA) | (1989-08-02)August 2, 1989 (aged 31) |
| Attila Valter (HUN) | Attila Valter (HUN) | (1998-06-12)June 12, 1998 (aged 22) |
| Greg Van Avermaet (BEL) | Greg Van Avermaet (BEL) | (1985-05-17)May 17, 1985 (aged 35) |
| Gijs Van Hoecke (BEL) | Gijs Van Hoecke (BEL) | (1991-11-12)November 12, 1991 (aged 29) |
| Nathan Van Hooydonck (BEL) | Nathan Van Hooydonck (BEL) | (1995-10-12)October 12, 1995 (aged 25) |
| Guillaume Van Keirsbulck (BEL) | Guillaume Van Keirsbulck (BEL) | (1991-02-14)February 14, 1991 (aged 29) |
| Francisco Ventoso (ESP) | Francisco Ventoso (ESP) | (1982-05-06)May 6, 1982 (aged 38) |
| Łukasz Wiśniowski (POL) | Łukasz Wiśniowski (POL) | (1991-12-07)December 7, 1991 (aged 29) |
| Ilnur Zakarin (RUS) | Ilnur Zakarin (RUS) | (1989-09-15)September 15, 1989 (aged 31) |
| Georg Zimmermann (GER) | Georg Zimmermann (GER) | (1997-10-11)October 11, 1997 (aged 23) |

## National and world champions
### 2011

    Norway Road Race, Alexander Kristoff
    Switzerland Time Trial, Martin Kohler

### 2012

    Switzerland Road Race, Martin Kohler
    World Road Race, Philippe Gilbert

### 2013

    Italian Road Race, Ivan Santaromita
    Italian Time Trial, Marco Pinotti
    Switzerland Road Race, Michael Schär
    Norway Road Race, Thor Hushovd

### 2014

    USA Time Trial, Taylor Phinney
    Slovakia Time Trial, Peter Velits

### 2015

    World Track (Individual pursuit), Stefan Küng
    Switzerland Time Trial, Silvan Dillier
    Switzerland Road Race, Danilo Wyss
    Switzerland Track (Individual pursuit), Stefan Küng
    Switzerland Track (Points race), Stefan Küng

### 2016

    Australian Time Trial, Rohan Dennis
    USA Time Trial, Taylor Phinney
    Italian Time Trial, Manuel Quinziato
    Belgium Road Race Championships, Philippe Gilbert

### 2017

    Australian Time Trial, Rohan Dennis
    Australian Road Race, Miles Scotson
    Luxembourg Time Trial, Jempy Drucker
    Switzerland Time Trial, Stefan Küng
    USA Time Trial, Joey Rosskopf
    Switzerland Road Race, Silvan Dillier

### 2018

    Australian Time Trial, Rohan Dennis
    USA Time Trial, Joey Rosskopf
    Switzerland Time Trial, Stefan Küng
    World Time Trial, Rohan Dennis

### 2019

    New Zealand Time Trial, Patrick Bevin
    Poland Road Race, Michal Paluta

### 2020

    Czech Republic Time Trial, Josef Černý
    Poland Time Trial, Kamil Gradek

## Sponsors

In 2019, besides CCC, notable sponsors include Giant, and Etxeondo.