Van Avermaet to lead BMC at Belgium Tour

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BMC Racing Team have announced Greg Van Avermaet will lead its ambitions at the 2.HC Baloise Belgium Tour, staring Wednesday with 6.85km prologue in Bornem. Van Avermaet, a two-time runner up and stage winner in 2008, makes his return to racing following a short break in the aftermath of his seventh overall at the inaugural Tour de Yorkshire earlier this month.

Van Avermaet has just one win to his name in 2015, stage three of Tirreno-Adriatico to Arezzo, but has been a regular feature on podium including Paris-Roubaix and the Tour of Flanders as he finished third at both monuments and will be looking to continue his run of form on home soil.

BMC will be looking to Australian time trial specialists Rohan Dennis and Campbell Flakemore in the prologue with the short course favouring the characteristics of both riders. Dennis started his season with a stage win and overall victory at the Tour de Down before breaking the world hour record in early February. Since returning his focus to the road, Dennis finished second on the Paris-Nice prologue and was recently fifth in the final day Tour de Romandie time trial.

The majority of the team returns to European racing after the Tour of California, including Jempy Drucker who had four top-ten results at the race. Flakemore, Michael Schär and neo-pro Manuel Senni are the other riders from California.

Belgian Dylan Teuns and Manuel Quinziato, returning for his first race since Paris-Roubaix, complete the BMC roster for the race. 

Philippe Gilbert won the points classification for the team last while Van Avermaet was the best overall finisher in tenth place.

BMC for Baloise Belgium Tour: Rohan Dennis (Aus), Jempy Drucker (Lux), Campbell Flakemore (Aus), Manuel Quinziato (Ita), Michael Schär (Sui), Manuel Senni (Ita), Dylan Teuns (Bel) and Greg Van Avermaet (Bel).