MENDE, France — On Saturday morning, Jim Ochowicz, a co-owner of the American BMC team, was careful not to be too smug about his team’s success at this year’s Tour de France.
While the two other American teams at the race, Cannondale-Garmin and Trek, have found little success, Ochowicz had much to brag about. BMC has won three stages, had one rider in the yellow race leader’s jersey and, on Saturday morning at least, Tejay van Garderen was hanging onto second place over all behind Britain’s Chris Froome.
Ochowicz, nevertheless, was cautious with his words.