BMC Racing Team will continue the closing end of the European racing season in Italy with five one-day races where Philippe Gilbert and Samuel Sánchez will make their return to competition after abandoning the Vuelta a Espana.

Sports Directors Max Sciandri and Valerio Piva said the eight-rider teams have been carefully selected to suit the various race profiles.

“We have strong teams for Giro dell’Emilia and GP Bergelli so I think we can be confident going in. At Giro dell’Emilia it is a great group of climbers and considering most of them were at Vuelta a Espana their form is good. GP Berghelli is more of a sprint so we have our Classics riders lining up there, with Samuel Sánchez and Philippe Gilbert assuming the role of leader at the two races respectively,” Sciandri said.

“Tre Valli Varesine and Giro del Piemonte are hard races but they don’t have the tough climbs like Milano Torino which is why we are taking a strong classics team with Philippe Gilbert as our leader. It can be a select group at the finish of these races so it’s important to get into the right move. Milano-Torino is an important race as it’s similar to Il Lombardia so it will be the last chance to test the legs. With strong climbers like Samuel Sánchez, Darwin Atapuma and Ben Hermans in the team for Milano-Torino, we have a very good chance,” Piva explained.

Gilbert, who won Giro del Piemonte in 2009 and 2010, is back to form after abandoning the Vuelta a Espana due to a lingering injury sustained in a crash in the opening week of racing.

“My problems are behind me so I’m ready to race. I did Giro dell’Emilia once and it is a hard race but it will be my first time at Tre Valli Varesine so I don’t have any previous experience. Although I won Giro del Piemonte on two occasions only the name is the same as the course has changed so in a way this will be like a first time there as well,” Gilbert admitted.

Sánchez will make his return to racing after crashing out of the Vuelta a Espana where he dislocated his right shoulder.

“After the disappointment of having to quit the Vuelta a Espana, I go back to competition with my sights set on Il Lombardia. Giro dell’Emilia and Milano-Torino have perfect courses for me and I’m looking forward to racing there at 100 percent,” Sánchez explained.

Giro dell'Emilia (24 September)

Riders: Darwin Atapuma (COL), Damiano Caruso (ITA), Alessandro De Marchi (ITA), Philippe Gilbert (BEL), Ben Hermans (BEL), Samuel Sanchez (ESP), Manuel Senni (ITA), Dylan Teuns (BEL).

GP Beghelli (25 September)

Riders: Marcus Burgahrdt (GER), Jempy Drucker (LUX), Taylor Eisenhart (USA), Floris Gerts (NED), Amaël Moinard (FRA), Peter Velits (SVK), Loïc Vliegen (BEL), Rick Zabel (GER).

Tre Valli Varesine (27 September)

Riders: Brent Bookwalter (USA), Damiano Caruso (ITA), Alessandro De Marchi (ITA), Taylor Eisenhart (USA), Philippe Gilbert (BEL), Michael Schär (SUI), Manuel Senni (ITA), Danilo Wyss (SUI).

Milano Torino (28 September)

Riders: Darwin Atapuma (COL), Alessandro De Marchi (ITA), Ben Hermans (BEL), Amaël Moinard (FRA), Samuel Sanchez (ESP), Manuel Senni (ITA), Dylan Teuns (BEL), Peter Velits (SVK).

Giro del Piemonte (29 September)

Riders: Brent Bookwalter (USA), Marcus Burgahrdt (GER), Jempy Drucker (LUX), Floris Gerts (NED), Philippe Gilbert (BEL), Michael Schär (SUI), Danilo Wyss (SUI) Rick Zabel (GER).