Taylor Phinney had said that he was looking forward to getting a last chance to do Milan-Sanremo on the historical course but the American won't be at the start line when the race leaves Milan on Sunday. Illness forces the team to take him off the roster and he will be replaced by an in-form Klaas Lodewyck.

The BMC Racing Team will replace Taylor Phinney on its roster for Milan-San Remo after last year's seventh-place finisher started experiencing flu-like symptoms 72 hours before Sunday's race.

BMC Racing Team Chief Medical Officer Dr. Max Testa said Phinney was feeling fine during Thursday's course reconnaissance session. But during Friday's training ride, the past U.S. national time trial champion came down with a fever and was suffering from chills and back pain, Dr. Testa said.

"He is feeling achy and broken so we decided to pull him out," he said. "San Remo is a 300-kilometer race, most likely with bad weather. So we are going to focus on having him recover for next week."

Phinney said he is "distraught" about not being able to compete.

"I had expressed a lot of love for the race over the past couple of weeks and it is definitely genuine," he said. "So it is hard for me to not be able to take the start. But I have to look forward to Roubaix. I'm sorry for the team that I can't be there for them and also sorry for myself because I was definitely looking forward to this race."

BMC Racing Team President/General Manager Jim Ochowicz said Klaas Lodewyck will replace Phinney in the team's line-up. Lodewyck finished fifth Friday in the Handzame Classic and was seventh in Nokere Koerse on Wednesday. He will be making his second career start in Milan-San Remo.

BMC Racing Team Milan-San Remo Roster (March 23):
Philippe Gilbert (BEL), Thor Hushovd (NOR), Klaas Lodewyck (BEL), Manuel Quinziato (ITA), Michael Schär (SUI), Greg Van Avermaet (BEL), Peter Velits (SVK), Danilo Wyss (SUI).