Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey
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Ambitious BMC Racing Team Roster Heading to Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey
05 October 2018 Santa Rosa, California (USA)
BMC Racing Team will be on the start line of the Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey next week with a strong and well-rounded rider roster heading to the UCI WorldTour stage race.
BMC Racing Team is taking a versatile line-up to the six-day race, Sports Director Klaas Lodewyck said. “I think we are heading to the Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey with a strong and well-balanced team.
For those stages that come down to a bunch sprint, Jempy Drucker, who we know can be up there, will be our leader. Then, I think Patrick Bevin is going to come into the race with some strong late-season form and we can look to do something with him on the uphill finish alongside Nicolas Roche.
We will have to see how the race situation develops day by day but firstly, we would like to go for a stage win and then see what we can do to make the best result possible on the General Classification,” Lodewyck explained.
Drucker and Bevin are both looking forward to ending their 2018 season at the Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey.
“I have raced in Turkey a few times in the past and I always enjoyed it so, I am happy to be going back. There are some big chances for me as a few stages should finish in a sprint and I hope to be able to have some nice results. It will also be the last time that I will race for this team so it will definitely be a special race for me,” Drucker said.
“I am excited to be lining up at the Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey for my final race of the 2018 season. After a good UCI World Championships campaign, I am looking forward to racing in Turkey for the first time with some great form and a strong team,” Bevin added.
Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey (9 - 14 October)
Rider Roster: Patrick Bevin (NZL), Tom Bohli (SUI), Brent Bookwalter (USA), Jempy Drucker (LUX), Kilian Frankiny (SUI), Nicolas Roche (IRL), Danilo Wyss (SUI)
Sports Directors: Klaas Lodewyck (BEL), Maximilian Sciandri (ITA)
BMC Race Preview: https://www.bmc-switzerland.com/int-en/experience/the-feedzone/ambitious_bmc_racing_team_roster_heading_to_presidential_cycling_tour_of_turkey/
La Vuelta
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Porte Returns to Racing to Headline BMC Racing Team’s Vuelta a España Roster
20 August 2018 Santa Rosa, California (USA)
Richie Porte will make his return to racing on Saturday (25 August) as he headlines BMC Racing Team’s strong and well-rounded Vuelta a España roster.
Sports Director Jackson Stewart said that Porte will be joined on the start line for the third and final Grand Tour of the year by a team that brings a wealth of experience and talent to the race.
“I think we will start the Vuelta a España with a focused and well-rounded roster and myself and Klaas Lodewyck are both very motivated about going into the race with such a high caliber team. For Porte, this is his first race back after his crash so at first, we will need to see how he is feeling. But, I believe he will only grow stronger the further into the race we get so, initially we will try to focus on several stages in particular and from there, we will watch how the General Classification develops,” Stewart explained.
“We know that Rohan Dennis is very motivated for both time trials and that he has the ability to achieve success on those particular stages if not more throughout the race. With Alessandro De Marchi, Nicolas Roche and Francisco Ventoso on the team, we have three riders who have all won individual stages of the Vuelta a España and not only do they bring this experience with them but they also have the strength to try something this year if the opportunity presents itself. Dylan Teuns, Brent Bookwalter and Joey Rosskopf are also all coming into the race in good form and I think we can expect to see strong efforts from them in the breakaways. Overall, we are looking forward to our last Vuelta a España as BMC Racing Team and particularly with this group of riders, all of whom have played such a big role in the team’s success over the past few years.”
Porte, who will be racing at the Vuelta a España for only the second time in his career, set himself the target of lining up at the three-week race after disappointingly crashing out of the Tour de France.
“Of course, I would like to do well in my last Grand Tour for BMC Racing Team but you never know where your form is when you haven’t had an ideal run into a race. After crashing out of the Tour de France, I had to have some time off and it took me a while to get back to work due to my injuries. I have put in some good training since then but I won’t be lining up in the shape I was in before the Tour de France,” Porte said.
“At first, I think I will definitely be taking the race day-by-day. The last week is pretty hard so you don’t know what could happen there but, we have a great team lining up with lots of good options. There’s definitely also a carrot dangling in front of me at the Vuelta with the UCI World Championships being a climber’s course so it will be good preparation for that.”
Vuelta a España (25 August - 16 September)
Porte will be joined at the Vuelta a España by:
Brent Bookwalter (USA): 2012
“I have raced the Vuelta a España once before in 2012 and it’s been such a long time since I was there, that is almost feels like a new race for me. I definitely feel like I have grown a lot as a person and as a rider since then so, I am excited to go back this year and hopefully have a little more impact on the race than I did in 2012. I didn’t do a Grand Tour last year and I think that created a little more desire and hunger to get back to the insanity of a three-week race. This is one of the most competitive races of the season and we have a really deep team so, whether it’s working for one of my teammates or trying to find an opportunity for myself, I think I am just focused on trying to do my personal best every day.”
Alessandro De Marchi (ITA): 2014 (winner, stage 7), 2015 (winner, stage 14), 2017 (winner, stage 1 TTT)
“The Vuelta a España always represents a special moment of the season for me. This year is going to be my fourth edition of the race and normally I would race here after the Tour de France but this year I come into the Vuelta after having raced the Giro d’Italia and obviously, having had a small break in the middle of the season. This small change means I will have a different approach to the race. I think at first I will try to get back into race mode and wait for the opportunities that the Vuelta always offers riders like me. It’s about having patience and waiting for the right day. I will also try to focus on the two individual time trials as I am continuing to try and improve on these kind of efforts. The Vuelta is also a good way to prepare for the UCI World Championships so it's important to be good especially at the end of the three weeks.”
Rohan Dennis (AUS): 2014, 2017 (winner, stage 1 TTT)
“The prologue and the stage 16 time trial are definitely my main objectives at this year’s Vuelta a España. The rest of the race for me will be about seeing what Richie wants to do when it comes to the General Classification or helping any of the other guys, if they want to try and go for a stage. After that, the race will be a key part of my preparation for the UCI World Championships. We are trying to mimic the lead up to Worlds from last year. Obviously I didn’t get to the stage 16 time trial at last year’s Vuelta but for me the time trial in Bergen was going really well right up until I hit a corner a bit too fast. We also saw this race program work in 2014 and again in 2016 when I raced the Tour de France before Rio so, it’s the perfect preparation for me.”
Nicolas Roche (IRL): 2008, 2010 - 2013 (winner, stage 2), 2015 (winner, stage 18), 2017 (winner, stage 1 TTT)
“I’m looking forward to racing at the Vuelta a España again. This will be my eighth edition of the race and I always enjoy racing it. I also have a lot of good memories from this race and I have always gone well here.”
Joey Rosskopf (USA): 2015 (winner, stage 1 TTT)
“I am excited to be back racing at the Vuelta a España. It was the first Grand Tour of my career in 2015 in my first year with the team but, I am hoping to make it through in a lot better shape than I did that year. I think we are taking a super strong team so we will see how the race plays out but I would definitely like to do as best I can in the two time trials. I always like to try and perform well in my national champion’s skinsuit and I am always motivated for those. I think the second time trial is more interesting to me. The first is maybe a bit short and with all of the fresh legs in the peloton at the start of the race, it will be hard for me. However, if I can make it through the race in good shape, I would like to see what I can do on stage 16. I have surprised myself in the past on a late time trial at a Grand Tour in 2017 at the Giro d’Italia.”
Dylan Teuns (BEL): 2016
“I am feeling good about going back to the Vuelta a España. It was a really nice experience racing there two years ago at my first Grand Tour so I am excited to go back. My shape is really good at the moment. In Poland, I had two second places and a good week of racing and I was also able to test myself in Hamburg on the Waseberg. I am definitely looking forward to the Vuelta. It would be good to be able to have the chance to fight for a stage win one day. Also, it is a good preparation for the World Championships so I am excited to start.”
Francisco Ventoso (ESP): 2005, 2006 (winner, stage 6), 2015, 2017 (winner, stage 1 TTT)
“I am super happy to be racing at the Vuelta a España with BMC Racing Team this year. It is my home Tour so it is really nice for me to ride in front of home crowds and on home soil. It is even more special for me this year as there is a time trial in my local region so that will be very nice for me. We have a really nice group of riders racing and I think everyone is motivated to try and do something and to make a good result at the end of the three weeks.”
Sports Directors: Jackson Stewart (USA), Klaas Lodewyck (BEL)
BMC Race Preview:https://www.bmc-switzerland.com/int-en/experience/the-feedzone/porte_returns_to_racing_to_headline_bmc_racing_teams_vuelta_a_espana_roster/
EuroEyes Cyclassics Hamburg
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BMC Racing Team Sends Versatile Roster to EuroEyes Cyclassics Hamburg
17 August 2018 Santa Rosa, California (USA)
BMC Racing Team will line up at the one-day UCI WorldTour EuroEyes Cyclassics Hamburg this Sunday, 19 August, with a versatile team to cover all race scenarios.
Sports Director Klaas Lodewyck said the experienced team will aim to race aggressively on Sunday. “We have a strong team for the EuroEyes Cyclassics.
"All of the riders will be valuable during the race as we have riders who can go for the breakaway, especially riders like Alessandro De Marchi who likes to have freedom, and Dylan Teuns who can move in the final on the Waseberg. This is still with 15km to go but we have seen that it is possible in the past if a strong group goes clear,” Lodewyck said.
“For the sprint, we have Jurgen Roelandts and Simon Gerrans who can sprint well at the end. I don’t think we have a clear leader to go for the win but we should be in the mix and try to make the best possible result.”
Roelandts is looking forward to testing his form if the race comes down to a bunch sprint.
“EuroEyes Cyclassics Hamburg is mostly a sprinter’s classic as it more often than not ends in a bunch sprint. I was once sixth there so I hope it will be a hard race as this suits me more because I can still have a good sprint in my legs after a hard classic. We will see how the race evolves. Dylan Teuns is also in good shape after the Tour de Pologne so maybe he can do something on the climb. There is always a smaller group in front after the last time up the Waseberg but the peloton often comes back. We will try to make it a hard race and make a selection and hopefully I will still have the legs at the end to do a good sprint.”
EuroEyes Cyclassics Hamburg
Rider roster: Tom Bohli (SUI), Brent Bookwalter (USA), Alessandro De Marchi (ITA), Simon Gerrans (AUS), Jürgen Roelandts (BEL), Joey Rosskopf (USA), Dylan Teuns (BEL)
Sports Director: Klaas Lodewyck (BEL)
BMC Race Preview: https://www.bmc-switzerland.com/int-en/experience/the-feedzone/bmc_racing_team_sends_versatile_roster_to_euroeyes_cyclassics_hamburg/
Tour of Utah
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Ambitious BMC Racing Team Roster Set for the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah
02 August 2018 Santa Rosa, California (USA)
BMC Racing Team will be racing on home soil next week with an ambitious line-up heading stateside to the week-long Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah.
Sports Director Jackson Stewart said that BMC Racing Team is lining up in Utah with a strong and well-rounded team.
“I think we will see a very competitive Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah this year with more UCI WorldTour teams competing than in previous years and the Park City stage returning as the final test. Most of our roster has had success in Utah and have grown to know the roads such as Brent Bookwalter, Joey Rosskopf, Tom Bohli, Kilian Frankiny, and Tejay van Garderen and that is always a nice advantage. As usual, we will also bring some new young talent to this race with our two stagiaires, Alexander Evans and Freddy Ovett,” Jackson explained.
“Everyone has been preparing for this race and I think we can expect a lot from our roster. I think we can look to target several stages and also protect van Garderen for the General Classification as we see how he responds after a very demanding Tour de France.”
Van Garderen is motivated about returning to the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah.
“I’m really looking forward to returning to the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah for the first time since 2011. I have good memories of the race and I know how hard it is so it’s going to be a good challenge off the back of the Tour de France. As an American riding for an American team, it is always great to race on home soil. The crowds and atmosphere are incredible in Utah so I hope to have a good week of racing there. We have a diverse team so I think we can expect good results,” van Garderen said.
The Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah (6 - 12 August)
Rider Roster: Tom Bohli (SUI), Brent Bookwalter (USA), Alexander Evans (AUS), Kilian Frankiny (SUI), Freddy Ovett (AUS), Joey Rosskopf (USA), Tejay van Garderen (USA)
Sports Director: Jackson Stewart (USA)
BMC Race Preview: https://www.bmc-switzerland.com/int-en/experience/the-feedzone/ambitious_bmc_racing_team_roster_set_for_the_larry_h_miller_tour_of_utah/
USA National Time Trial and Road Race Championships
June 21 - Time Trial
June 24 - Road Race (1:15 EDT start)
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Criterium Du Dauphine
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BMC Racing Team with Multiple Options at Critérium du Dauphiné
31 May 2018 Santa Rosa, California (USA)
BMC Racing Team is heading to the start line in France this Sunday for the opening day of racing at Critérium du Dauphiné (3 - 10 June) and will be lining up with a competitive roster.
BMC Racing Team is going into the eight-day UCI WorldTour race with multiple cards to play, Sports Director Maximilian Sciandri said.
“I think we have three riders, Damiano Caruso, Brent Bookwalter and Dylan Teuns, who can potentially go for the General Classification. Damiano has proved already this year at Tirreno-Adriatico that he can ride for the General Classification, but we will see what happens when we get there as I don’t necessarily want to push him too much looking ahead to July.”
“Brent is coming out of a good ride in California, and I think he is a good option and also Dylan. We won overall at a few races last year together so we will definitely be looking at our plan as the race develops. There is also a team time trial to think about, and this is an important stage for us, as always. When we go into a TTT, we pretty much always deliver a good result so, we will try to do the same on stage 3,” Sciandri explained.
Damiano Caruso has two main objectives going into the Critérium du Dauphiné.
“First of all, the Critérium du Dauphiné is an important test before the Tour de France and I want to try to find the best shape possible here. You always want to be at the top of your condition in July and this race can tell you if you have more work to do or if you're already in good shape.”
“I also want to try and get a good result for the team and my approach to the race will be the same as always. I will take it day by day and see where we are at when we reach the team time trial. From there, I can either try to fight for the General Classification or if I am out of that completely, I want to try to go for a stage win perhaps,” Caruso said.
Brent Bookwalter and Dylan Teuns are also looking to test themselves in France.
“This race is always demanding and I think this year it is split into two parts. The first four days with the prologue, a couple of medium mountain stages and the team time trial and then the last four days which look set to be pretty exciting. We have a mixed team and I think we can all show up and try to do the best prologue that we can before our next collective team goal which will be the TTT,” Bookwalter explained.
“After a hard first part of the year, I had a short break before starting again at Hammer Stavanger. It was a short and intense race and provided me with a good warm up to the Critérium du Dauphiné. We will see how it goes day by day, but if my form is good, I am going to give it everything to try to make a nice result,” Teuns added.
Critérium du Dauphiné (3 - 10 June)
Rider Roster: Patrick Bevin (NZL), Tom Bohli (SUI), Brent Bookwalter (USA), Damiano Caruso (ITA), Joey Rosskopf (USA), Dylan Teuns (BEL), Danilo Wyss (SUI)
Sports Directors: Maximilian Sciandri (ITA), Jackson Stewart (USA)
BMC Race Preview: https://www.bmc-switzerland.com/int-en/experience/the-feedzone/bmc_racing_team_with_multiple_options_at_criterium_du_dauphine/
Amgen Tour of California
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Van Garderen to Headline BMC Racing Team’s AMGEN Tour of California Roster
10 May 2018 Santa Rosa, California (USA)
BMC Racing Team heads stateside this week with Tejay van Garderen set to make a return to the AMGEN Tour of California (13 - 19 May) as part of a well-rounded BMC Racing Team line-up.
BMC Racing Team will be looking to target both stage wins and the General Classification at the UCI WorldTour seven-day stage race, Sports Director Jackson Stewart said.
“We are heading into this year’s AMGEN Tour of California with an experienced and very capable team. We are excited to be returning to this great race with Tejay van Garderen, who is a previous winner here, and of course, we would like to be successful in the General Classification. But, we will also keep an eye out for opportunities to go for a stage victory depending on the dynamic.”
“We are going to arrive in Long Beach on Sunday with a very motivated roster of riders and staff and I’m looking forward to a successful week,” Stewart explained.
Van Garderen is heading back to the start line of the AMGEN Tour of California for the first time since taking overall victory in 2013.
“I’m super excited about making a return to the AMGEN Tour of California as the 2013 edition was a special memory for me. The course is demanding but, we have a strong team and we will go into the race with big goals,” van Garderen said.
AMGEN Tour of California (13 - 19 May)
Rider Roster: Patrick Bevin (NZL), Brent Bookwalter (USA), Joey Rosskopf (USA), Michael Schär (SUI), Tejay van Garderen (USA), Nathan Van Hooydonck (BEL), Danilo Wyss (SUI)
Sports Directors: Jackson Stewart (USA), Klaas Lodewyck (BEL)
BMC Race Preview: https://www.bmc-switzerland.com/int-en/experience/the-feedzone/van_garderen_to_headline_bmc_racing_teams_amgen_tour_of_california_roster/
Tour de Yorkshire
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Van Avermaet Returns to the Start Line at the Tour de Yorkshire
28 April 2018 Santa Rosa, California (USA)
Greg Van Avermaet will return to the start line at the Tour de Yorkshire next week (3 - 6 May) as part of BMC Racing Team's six-rider roster.
BMC Racing Team will head into stage 1 with both Greg Van Avermaet and Brent Bookwalter as protected riders, Sports Director Klaas Lodewyck said.
“Looking at the race, I think we have two riders, Greg Van Avermaet and Brent Bookwalter, who can both play a role in the General Classification battle. The first day should end in a bunch sprint so we will see how the guys feel there and then stage 2 has a finish that should suit Greg. I think it will be important for us to see what the situation is like after the second day of racing and then we can look to play different options.”
“For sure, Brent, who finished fourth here last year, can also make a good GC result on the tough parcours. We are starting with six riders so it will not be easy for us. We will have to play it very smart every day and watch every move,” Lodewyck explained.
The now four-day stage race will mark Van Avermaet’s return to racing after his Classics campaign.
“After a small break, it’s good to be getting back into the swing of racing and the Tour de Yorkshire is a cool race. I’m looking forward to racing on this year’s parcours and especially experiencing the great atmosphere around the roads once again,” Van Avermaet said.
Bookwalter is motivated about heading back to the Tour de Yorkshire.
“I’ve been looking forward to the Tour de Yorkshire all spring. After a strong debut at the race last year and enjoying the awesome enthusiasm and hospitality of the fans in the area, Yorkshire quickly became one of my favorite races. It comes after quite a long period away from stage racing in which I’ve done a block of training at altitude. This race will quickly lead into the AMGEN Tour of California where I’m hoping to be in peak shape so it should be a great way to polish my condition. Whether it’s supporting the team or trying to improve on my fourth place overall from 2017, I’m ready to give it my all,” Bookwalter added.
Tour de Yorkshire (3 - 6 May)
Rider Roster: Patrick Bevin (NZL), Tom Bohli (SUI), Brent Bookwalter (USA), Greg Van Avermaet (BEL), Nathan Van Hooydonck (BEL), Danilo Wyss (SUI)
Sports Directors: Klaas Lodewyck (BEL), Allan Peiper (AUS)
BMC Race Preview: https://www.bmc-switzerland.com/int-en/experience/the-feedzone/van_avermaet_returns_to_the_start_line_at_the_tour_de_yorkshire/
Brabantse Pijl
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BMC Racing Team Taking Competitive Line-Up to Brabantse Pijl
07 April 2018 Santa Rosa, California (USA)
The Flanders Classics series concludes next week with a competitive and well-rounded BMC Racing Team line-up heading to Brabantse Pijl on Wednesday (11 April).
BMC Racing Team will have a strong group of riders at the start line of the one-day race, Sports Director Klaas Lodewyck said.
“I think we have a pretty strong team for Brabantse Pijl. We aren’t going into the race with one of the outright favorites but we do have a good group of riders who can all fight for a result. We have some strong guys who can look to go into the breakaway and from there we can protect them.”
“Then, we also have Dylan Teuns who I think can do well on the final local lap. The last 800 meters of the race are more or less uphill so I think we can try to make a selection there and go for a result. We want to try to get the win and although it will not be easy, I think with the team we have we can definitely try to do something,” Lodewyck explained.
Brabantse Pijl will be a key race for Teuns ahead of the Ardennes Classics.
“I’m really motivated for the next four races on my program and that starts on Wednesday at Brabantse Pijl. I have prepared well and Vuelta Ciclista al Pais Vasco was a good part of that build up. I am feeling good and I think I have been racing well so far this season.”
“Overall, I am really happy with where I am at right now and so I will be going into the race with a lot of ambition. This will be one of my goal races so I will be going there ready to fight for a good result,” Teuns said.
Brabantse Pijl (11 April)
Rider Roster: Patrick Bevin (NZL), Tom Bohli (SUI), Brent Bookwalter (USA), Kilian Frankiny (SUI), Joey Rosskopf (USA), Dylan Teuns (BEL), Nathan Van Hooydonck (BEL)
Sports Directors: Klaas Lodewyck (BEL), Jackson Stewart (USA)
BMC Race Preview: https://www.bmc-switzerland.com/int-en/experience/the-feedzone/bmc_racing_team_taking_competitive_line_up_to_brabantse_pijl/
Volta Ciclista a Catalunya
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Van Garderen to Lead BMC Racing Team at Volta Ciclista a Catalunya
15 March 2018 Santa Rosa, California (USA)
Tejay van Garderen will return to the start line in Spain next week where he is set to lead BMC Racing Team's General Classification ambitions at Volta Ciclista a Catalunya (19 - 25 March).
A strong and well-rounded team will support Tejay van Garderen at the seven-day UCI WorldTour stage race, BMC Racing Team Sports Director Valerio Piva said.
"We are going into the race with Tejay as our leader for the General Classification. He is feeling good following his crash at Paris-Nice and he is really motivated to start racing. He has won stages here on two occasions in the past and both of those finishes will feature in this year's race, so he knows it well."
"We will have a strong team around Tejay and as well as looking for chances to go for the General Classification, the objective for everyone will be to try and win a stage. Patrick Bevin is coming out of a strong performance at Tirreno-Adriatico and perhaps he can try something on the first day. Then with Joey Rosskopf, Danilo Wyss, Brent Bookwalter, Loïc Vliegen and Nicolas Roche, who is coming from Paris-Nice, we have a good group of riders who can climb well, and this will important looking at this year's parcours. It will be a hard stage race, but I think we have the right people for the job and we will try to do a good race and support Tejay," Piva explained.
Van Garderen is looking forward to getting back to racing after being forced to withdraw from Paris-Nice following a crash on stage 1.
"I am feeling good on the bike. I was a little worried after my crash in Paris-Nice as you never know how hitting your head is going to affect performance. I took a few days off to recover, but after getting back on the bike, I haven't felt any ill effects from the crash. I like this year's Volta Ciclista a Catalunya course and I have good memories from both La Molina and Vallter 2000. This has been a race that has brought me lots of success in the past and I hope to keep that trend going. We have a strong, motivated team and we'll be looking to perform well," van Garderen said.
Volta Ciclista a Catalunya (19 - 25 March)
Rider Roster: Patrick Bevin (NZL), Brent Bookwalter (USA), Nicolas Roche (IRL), Joey Rosskopf (USA), Tejay van Garderen (USA), Loïc Vliegen (BEL), Danilo Wyss (SUI)
Sports Directors: Valerio Piva (ITA), Jackson Stewart (USA)
BMC Race Preview: https://www.bmc-switzerland.com/int-en/experience/the-feedzone/dennis_set_to_lead_bmc_racing_team_at_abu_dhabi_tour/
Abu Dhabi Tour
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Dennis Set to Lead BMC Racing Team at Abu Dhabi Tour
16 February 2018 Santa Rosa, California (USA)
BMC Racing Team is heading to the Abu Dhabi Tour next week (21 - 25 February) with Rohan Dennis set to spearhead the team's General Classification ambitions.
Dennis will be joined at the start line by a strong and well-rounded team, BMC Racing Team Sports Director Maximilian Sciandri said.
"Abu Dhabi Tour will be more decisive this year with the addition of the individual time trial. With this in mind and our strength across the team in this discipline, we will go to the race with Rohan Dennis as our leader for the General Classification. He is coming out of some strong performances during the Australian season, and we believe he will be able to carry that momentum into a successful ride at this race. We have a strong roster as we look towards the start of the race, with riders like Miles Scotson, Joey Rosskopf, and Patrick Bevin. Plus we have seen some good signs from Brent Bookwalter already this season as well as Damiano Caruso and Kilian Frankiny, who I think will play a crucial support role and can be up there to help guide Dennis on the summit finish. So, overall I think we can go to Abu Dhabi with strong expectations," Sciandri explained.
For Dennis, the Abu Dhabi Tour is a key building block as he looks ahead to the rest of the season.
"My main goals for the Abu Dhabi Tour are to win the time trial but also to test myself on the mountain-top finish. This race will be a good opportunity to see where I am compared to other GC guys at this stage of the year and what I need to work on looking ahead to the Giro d'Italia in a couple of months," Dennis said.
Abu Dhabi Tour (21 - 25 February)
Rider Roster: Patrick Bevin (NZL), Brent Bookwalter (USA), Damiano Caruso (ITA), Rohan Dennis (AUS), Kilian Frankiny (SUI), Joey Rosskopf (USA), Miles Scotson (AUS)
Sports Directors: Maximilian Sciandri (ITA), Noël Dejonckheere (BEL)
BMC Race Preview: https://www.bmc-switzerland.com/int-en/experience/the-feedzone/dennis_set_to_lead_bmc_racing_team_at_abu_dhabi_tour/
Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana
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BMC Racing Team Set to Target Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana Team Time Trial
27 January 2018 Santa Rosa, California (USA)
Greg Van Avermaet will return to the start line of Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana as BMC Racing Team's road captain, while Brent Bookwalter and Kilian Frankiny represent the team's General Classification aspirations.
The team lines up at the five-day race with multiple objectives, including the team time trial on stage three, Sports Director Valerio Piva said.
"We have a tradition in this team to target the team time trial so that is one of our objectives at the race and like last year, we want to win. It's the third stage and it's a technical parcours. We also want to win an individual stage and for this we have Greg Van Avermaet, who is our road captain, as well as Jürgen Roelandts for a sprint finish. There is a short, uphill finish which will make the selection for the General Classification so we will have Brent Bookwalter and Kilian Frankiny as our protected riders, as both are in good shape and can climb well," Piva explained.
Van Avermaet will open the season with Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana to test his early season form, as he did in 2017.
"I'm feeling pretty good and I'm happy with my winter. We have trained hard in Spain before the race so I'm happy to finally put my training efforts to the test in the race. Everybody always looks forward to the first race of the season. We are motivated again for the team time trial, which we won last year, as it's a nice way to start the season. The parcours is a little different from last year but I think we are one of the favorites there. Personally, I just want to have a good feeling in the race, and not necessarily go for a big result. My bigger goals are later in the season so sometimes the best thing you can take out of a race is a good feeling on a climb or something else like that, and I hope to finish Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana with this feeling," Van Avermaet said.
The long road back
The Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana is not only Bookwalter and Frankiny's first race of the season, but also their first race since suffering nasty crashes at the Tour of Britain and Vuelta a Espana respectively.
Bookwalter is looking to gain confidence from his first race back before embarking on the rest of the season.
"I'm ready to start the season. It's been a long off season for me as I stopped the season pretty early last year with my concussion at the Tour of Britain, which was a forced, early off season. The recovery was much longer than I had hoped and planned for so it was a new challenge in the off season. I feel like I'm back to a good level and can start racing. I've never done Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana before so I'm always excited to do a new race, especially after 11 years with the team. It fits well with our training camps as we ride these roads in Valencia every year," Bookwalter explained.
"My biggest objective is to improve my condition and my confidence going into the rest of the season. Coming off my first time dealing with a head injury, my confidence definitely took a hit. To get back into my first race and get through it safely is important. We are defending our team time trial win from last year so that's definitely a focus for us. We'll see how the General Classification goes. Kilian Frankiny looks to be climbing the best out of anyone in our group right now so whether it's helping him out or my form allows me to go for it, we'll see how it goes."
Frankiny is excited to return to the start line after his long off season.
"I'm very motivated as I had a long off season after my crash in the Vuelta a Espana. This is the first race in five months so I'm happy to be at the start line and I'm well prepared having done a lot of good training at home and at our training camps. Stage 2 will be pretty hard. The last climb we know from stage 6 of the Vuelta a Espana and it's a very steep climb. We will see how many guys make the selection and I hope I can be in the front group. Then of course, the team time trial is a big objective for the whole team as everyone knows that BMC Racing Team is really good in the discipline," Frankiny said.
Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana (31 Jan - 4 Feb)
Rider roster: Brent Bookwalter (USA), Alessandro De Marchi (ITA), Kilian Frankiny (SUI), Stefan Küng (SUI), Jürgen Roelandts (BEL), Michael Schär (SUI), Greg Van Avermaet (BEL)
Sports Director: Valerio Piva (ITA), Jackson Stewart (USA)
BMC Race Preview: https://www.bmc-switzerland.com/int-en/experience/the-feedzone/bmc_racing_team_set_to_target_voltaa_la_comunitatvalencianateam_time_trial/
