US champion George Hincapie and 2008 World champion Alessandro Ballan will be two of four team captains of the BMC Racing team as it heads to its first ever appearance in the Milano-Sanremo. The other two protected riders in the team’s eight-man team will be Marcus Burghardt and Karsten Kroon.
For team manager Jim Ochowicz, the team’s invitation to Italy’s number one spring race is a sign that BMC Racing has joined the top echelons of cycling. The winter signings of Hincapie, Ballan, Burghardt, Kroon, and reigning World champion Cadel Evans has elevated the small US/Swiss team to the brink of the ProTour. “We are excited to be participants in this historic classic,” said Ochowicz. “This invitation confirms our team’s position in the peloton.”
The team will be led on Saturday by Director Sportif John Lelangue. Despite the obvious experience of much of the team, like many other teams, he is making sure that his riders know the finishing stages well. “It can be a selective race or it can be one for the sprinters,” he said. “This is a race that you really have to learn. So we will do reconnaissance of the last 80 km so we’re ready for the final climbs and the last 10 km of terrific downhill off the Poggio.”
BMC Racing team for Milan-San Remo
Alessandro Ballan (Ita), Brent Bookwalter (USA), Marcus Burghardt (Ger), George Hincapie (USA), Karsten Kroon (Ned), Jeff Louder (USA), Michael Schär (Swi), Danilo Wyss (Swi).