After his second place in Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, Greg Van Avermaet will be back on the Belgian cobbles as he chases another podium result in the big Tour of Flanders dress rehearsal, today's E3 Harelbeke. He will be joined by Daniel Oss who finished 3rd in the race 12 months ago but is just coming back from a knee injury.

A pair of past podium placers – Daniel Oss and Greg Van Avermaet – are part of the BMC Racing Team's roster for E3 Prijs Vlaanderen-Harelbeke on Friday. Oss finished third in the 212.2-kilometer race last year, while Van Avermaet was third in 2008.

"Greg will be our leader and Oss is coming back well," BMC Racing Team Sport Director Max Sciandri said. "Manuel Quinziato knows the course well and I know Thor Hushovd will be there for us, so we have a good team here as we start approaching the bigger classics."

Van Avermaet has a runner-up performance at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad to his credit this season while Hushovd's best finish has been a runner-up result on Stage 3 at Tour Méditerranéen.

Oss said while he got a late start to his season, he felt good last week being part of a 17-man breakaway at Nokere Koerse.

"My shape is coming up, but it is not excellent yet," he said. "I am looking forward to this race, but I can't say it will be like last year. I am motivated, I am feeling fresh and rested and am aiming to do my best."

E3 Prijs Vlaanderen-Harelbeke Roster (March 28):
Silvan Dillier (SUI), Thor Hushovd (NOR), Daniel Oss (ITA), Manuel Quinziato (ITA), Michael Schär (SUI), Greg Van Avermaet (BEL), Danilo Wyss (SUI), Rick Zabel (GER).