Four-time Swiss National Road Race champion Martin Elmiger is the latest addition to BMC Racing Team's 2017 roster, General Manager Jim Ochowicz today announced.
Elmiger, who won the Santos Tour Down Under in 2007, will play an important role in achieving the team's stage race and Classics ambitions, Ochowicz said.
"Martin Elmiger brings a wealth of experience to BMC Racing Team and is a very welcome addition to our 2017 roster. Martin will join us in his 16th year as a professional cyclist, during which time he has consistently proven himself as a versatile and strong road captain, and a rider more than capable of playing both a support role and winning in his own right. Martin was 5th at Paris-Roubaix in 2015, showing that he has what it takes to be up there on the cobbles, and is often seen trying his luck in a breakaway during stage races. We have a clear focus for the 2017 season and we're excited to have Martin on board," Ochowicz explained.
"We may be a US-registered UCI WorldTour team, but our ties to Switzerland are very strong with BMC Switzerland and the recent announcement of TAG Heuer as a new partner, so we are thrilled to welcome another Swiss rider to BMC Racing Team."
Elmiger started his career on a BMC bike and is looking forward to making his return.
"I'm not the youngest rider anymore so it wasn't that easy to find a new team but BMC Racing Team was always one of my favorite teams. I pretty much started my career on BMC bikes with Andy Rihs at Phonak and after speaking to Andy about joining the team it was a perfect opportunity to also end my career on a BMC bike. It is an honor to ride with BMC Racing Team with riders like Greg Van Avermaet and the young Swiss guys who I know well. It's going to be a nice experience and I'm very motivated," Elmiger said.
"I'd like to help Van Avermaet win one of the big Classics like Tour of Flanders, and maybe take an opportunity to win a stage at some of the smaller races like Tour de Suisse, or help whoever is there for the General Classification. I think I can help a lot in every kind of terrain, whether it's the Classics or stage races as I have a lot of experience."
In keeping with BMC Racing Team policy no other details of the contract were released
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