With Philippe Gilbert opting to focus on the Ardennes classics, Greg Van Avermaet was expected to carry the burdens for BMC in today's Tour of Flanders. The Belgian once again proved his impressive consistency with another top 10 performance in a big classic.

Greg Van Avermaet's 2011 victory in the Paris-Tours may be his only big classics victory, but the Belgian is one of the most consistent one-day riders in the world. Last year, he was in the top 10 in the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, Strade Bianche, Tour of Flanders, Brabantse Pijl, Grand Prix Quebec, Gran Prix Wallonie, Gran Piemonte and Paris-Tours, and this year similar results in the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, Strade Bianche and Gent-Wevelgem have further underlined his status as one of the world's leading classics riders.

Today's 7th place in the Tour of Flanders was just another confirmation of his potential as he took up the BMC leadership in the absence of world champion Philippe Gilbert. After the race, he acknowledged the superior strength of Fabian Cancellara and Peter Sagan, and as a consequence he was happy with the outcome of the day.

"I did a good race, I think," he said. "But when Cancellara and Sagan went at the last climb of the Kwaremont it wasn't possible to follow both of them. It was too fast, I was at my limit at that moment. Everybody rode at his limit today, so the performance of Cancellara was big. "He was certainly the best rider for Flanders."

Hushovd disturbed by breathing problems

Van Avermaet was expected to share leadership responsibilities with former world champion who is back on form after an illness-plagued 2012 season. The Norwegian was a prominent figure in the front end of the peloton during the early part of the race but when the going got tough, the Norwegian was nowhere to be seen.

With Paris-Roubaix being his big objective, the Norwegian chose to avoid any risks when breathing problems complicated his race, and he abandoned the race to save his energy for next Sunday's Hell of the North.

 "I felt quite good from the start and I had good feeling in the legs, so I know my form was there," he said. "But when I wanted to go deep, I had a problem with my breathing. It was like I was breathing through a straw. I knew with that feeling, I could do nothing in the race. I was already suffering. So instead of trying to hang in there, I decided to stop and look forward to Paris-Roubaix."

Ochowicz regrets lack of anticipation

BMC entered the race without one of the major race favourites, but the experienced team's many cobbled specialists made it one of the strongest collective outfits. The team had hoped to use its strength in numbers to land a podium spot.

A key moment in the race happened just after the second passage of the Paterberg when outsider Jurgen Roelandts joined a move. The Belgian's offensive approach was part of a well-planned tactics to anticipate the attacks from the major favourites, and his strategy was rewarded with a 3rd place finish.

With numerous riders in the front group, BMC would have been expected to be part of such an attack. Team manager Jim Ochowicz rued the missed opportunity.

 "When Roelandts went, I wish one of our guys would have gone with him because it was much easier to get in front of those guys," he said. "You saw what Cancellara did on the Kwaremont. Sagan barely hung on his wheel."

The team will now turn its focus to Thor Hushovd's attempt to finally land his dream victory in Roubaix next Sunday.