Fresh off two weeks of auspicious performances in the Middle East and Thor Hushovd's stage win at Tour du Haut Var, the BMC Racing Team fields motivated squads in their first outings in Belgium: Omloop Het Nieuwsblad on Saturday and Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne on Sunday.

Belgian rider Greg Van Avermaet will star in the double role of home crowd favourite and team hopeful in Saturday’s Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, and he enters the race with high hopes.

"It's great to have a strong team and also a few leaders so you can play more than one card in the final," said Greg Van Avermaet, who placed fifth last year at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad. "The team has gotten off to a great start and that's motivated everybody."

Teaming up with Van Avermaet is Thor Hushovd, 2009 winner of Het Nieuwsblad, who said his stage win and eventual fifth place finish overall at Haut Var has motivated him. "The races this past weekend gave me confidence and I am feeling good," he said. "Our team is very strong right now."

Assistant Director Fabio Baldato shares the riders’ optimism and said that decisions on how many and which riders will be protected in each race will be made closer to the weekend. "What I saw at Haut Var leaves me very satisfied where we are and with the condition of the riders," he said. "We will get the guys together and make a good plan. It's nice to have so many options." The BMC Racing Team's roster for Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne is the same, with the exception of Danilo Wyss replacing Hushovd.


Omloop Het Nieuwsblad Roster (Saturday February 23):
Adam Blythe (GBR), Thor Hushovd (NOR), Klaas Lodewyck (BEL), Daniel Oss (ITA), Taylor Phinney (USA), Manuel Quinziato (ITA), Michael Schär (SUI), Greg Van Avermaet (BEL).

Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne Roster (Sunday February 24):
Adam Blythe (GBR), Klaas Lodewyck (BEL), Daniel Oss (ITA), Taylor Phinney (USA), Manuel Quinziato (ITA), Michael Schär (SUI), Greg Van Avermaet (BEL), Danilo Wyss (SUI).