Germany's Burghardt joins BMC Racing for two seasons

German Marcus Burghardt will leave Columbia-HTC after six years to join USA's BMC Racing for the next two years, he announced today.

"I learnt a lot and had some great successes with T-Mobile Team and Columbia," he said on his website. "Now it is time to accept an offer for new challenges and new duties, and I look forward to the new experiences. Those will include being leader, especially at the Classics."

The California-based BMC team is second division, but that it hopes to have a top-level ProTour licence soon, Burghardt said. He looks forward to starting in the Spring Classics and the Tour de France.

He has two major wins, a stage of the 2008 Tour de France and the 2007 Gent-Wevelgem.

USA's George Hincapie and World Champion Alessandro Ballan may also ride for BMC Racing, according to Ballan.