BMC have selected a very strong roster for the two-day Tour of Oman which starts on Saturday and includes a flat opening stage and lumpy route for Sunday's final stage. Samuel Sanchez will make his debut for the team while Cadel Evans and Thor Hushovd will try to continue the team's recent run of success.

The BMC Racing Team's roster for Tour du Haut Var this Saturday and Sunday will include a pair of former world road champions – Cadel Evans and Thor Hushovd – and past Olympic road race champion Samuel Sánchez, who will be making his season debut.

Hushovd was runner-up on a stage at the Tour Méditerranéen last week while helping teammate Stephen Cummings to overall victory. Last year, the reigning Norwegian national road champion won the opening stage of the two-day race.

 Sánchez finished second in his only participation in Haut Var in 2003 and says he is ready to test himself.

"I am looking forward to finding my race rhythm and to joining the team in competition," he said. "I think we will be very strong with Cadel and Thor. I expect to be able to adapt myself to the squad fairly quickly and to be able to enjoy the help of my teammates."

Evans will be starting the race for the first time but already owns a runner-up finish at the Australian national road championships and he scored the team's first win of the season on the way to runner-up honors at the Santos Tour Down Under.

"Second places are not always as rewarding as they should be," Evans said. "But overall, they are good indications that things are returning to normal for me. That bodes well for the year ahead. I have had a good period of training since Tour Down Under here in Switzerland."

BMC Racing Team Sport Director Yvon Ledanois said the team has a number of options for success.

"We have a good team with two or three riders who can win stages, especially Thor on the first day," he said. "The second day will be a good test for Cadel before Tirreno-Adriatico."

BMC for the Tour du Haur Var

Brent Bookwalter (USA), Cadel Evans (AUS), Thor Hushovd (NOR), Amaël Moinard (FRA), Steve Morabito (SUI), Manuel Quinziato (ITA), Samuel Sánchez (ESP), Larry Warbasse (USA)