The opening weekend of racing in Belgium will see the BMC Racing Team field different line-ups and separate approaches for Omloop Het Nieuwsblad on Saturday and Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne on Sunday.

Past Omloop Het Nieuwsblad winner Thor Hushovd and Greg Van Avermaet – a top five finisher three times in the past five years – headline a roster for Saturday that includes another past top five finisher, Marcus Burghardt.

Hushovd was in a solo break in last Sunday's stage of the Tour du Haut-Var The Norwegian national road champion said that performance shows he is on form.

"With that in mind, I go to Belgium to race for the win," Hushovd said. "We have a strong team, which should be present from start to end. My level is high now, but I just have to follow, and hopefully have something left for a good sprint in the end."

Van Avermaet, who was in a pair of breakaways at the Tour of Oman last week, said his two weeks in the Middle East were productive.

"You have the speed in Qatar, a little bit of climbing in Oman and good weather in both," he said. "For me, it is the best preparation for the classics. We will see how it goes, but I feel I am in pretty good shape and happy with my form."

In addition to Burghardt, Van Avermaet, and Hushovd, the team is likely his high expectations for Taylor Phinney who recently won the Dubai Tour overall. Former world champion Philippe Gilbert will skip the cobbled races this season and is instead riding in France this weekend.

Sport Director Max Sciandri said Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne will be a chance for younger riders to show themselves, including Silvan Dillier and Sebastian Lander, both top 10 finishers on the final stage of the Tour of Qatar.

"This is a good chance for those guys, plus riders like Klaas Lodewyck and Rick Zabel, to get some good experience and have their own chances," Sciandri said.

BMC for Omloop Het Nieuwsblad Roster (March 1):
Marcus Burghardt (GER), Silvan Dillier (SUI), Thor Hushovd (NOR), Klaas Lodewyck (BEL), Taylor Phinney (USA), Manuel Quinziato (ITA), Michael Schär (SUI), Greg Van Avermaet (BEL).

BMC for Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne Roster (March 2):
Marcus Burghardt (GER), Silvan Dillier (SUI), Sebastian Lander (DEN), Klaas Lodewyck (BEL), Manuel Quinziato (ITA), Greg Van Avermaet (BEL), Danilo Wyss (SUI), Rick Zabel (GER).