The BMC Racing Team will start this coming Sunday’s Gent-Wevelgem with two former winners, but will also be supporting the interests of two on-form cobble specialists. George Hincapie, the 2001 winner, remains the only American rider to have won a cobbled classic and brings well over a decade’s worth of experience in the race; Marcus Burghardt won the 2007 edition and also comes to the race with high hopes for a result.
As well as its two former winners, BMC Racing will be protecting the interests of 2008 World champion, and 2007 Driedaagse De Panne Koksijde and Ronde van Vlaanderen winner, Alessandro Ballan, as well as the team’s new signing for 2011, Greg Van Avermaet. Both riders are at home on the cobbles of Belgium and both were active at the front of the Milano-Sanremo last Saturday; Van Avermaet was in the lead break in the closing stages and came within 2.5km of a solo victory.
"We have four riders who are very strong and in good spirits and condition," said assistant team director Fabian Baldato, who was an accomplished classics rider himself, finishing third in the 1996 Gent-Wevelgem, as well as second in both the 1995 and 1996 Rondes van Vlaanderen and the epic 1994 edition of Paris-Roubaix. "Who will lead will depend on the race, such as if there's an early breakaway, or in the wind – which can be a big factor."
Hincapie himself is optimistic as the race approaches. "I feel really good – better than ever," he said. "I've had a good week of training.
“The whole intention this year was to spend the month of February training at home,” he explained, “then starting with Tirreno, to be as fit and ready as possible for the next three weekends of racing."
BMC Racing Team for Gent-Wevelgem:
Alessandro Ballan, Marcus Burghardt, George Hincapie, Alexander Kristoff, Michael Schär, Greg Van Avermaet, Danilo Wyss and Simon Zahner.