Greg Van Avermaet has often been asked to sacrifice his own chances for a team leader in the biggest races but in Sunday's world championships, he expects things to be different. With the Belgian team expected to play a less dominant role than last year, the BMC rider hopes to be one of several strong cards on the team of defending champion Philippe Gilbert.

Greg Van Avermaet is one of the most consistent classics riders with several top 10 finishes in the biggest one-day races. Despite a palmares that includes a Paris-Tours win and top results in races like Paris-Roubaix,  Tour of Flanders, Liege-Bastogne-Liege, Gent-Wevelgem and Milan-Sanremo, he has, however, often been asked to sacrifice his own chances for his teammates.

Van Avermaet has dutifully done his job but has often been disappointed by team decisions that have left him with few personal opportunities. It has not been a rare occurrence for Van Avermaet to save his team in the biggest classics when the pre-race captains have faded out of contention.

He played his usual faithful support role in last year's world championships where he helped Philippe Gilbert during his triumphant ride in Limburg but this year, the Belgian hopes things to be different. Having arrived in Florence on the back of an extremely successful autumn season, he hopes to get some freedom in a race where the smaller 7-rider Belgian team isn't expected to carry the main responsibility.

"I think I have a big chance," he told CyclingQuotes after finishing his recon ride earlier today. "It depends on how the race goes and how I feel on Sunday but I think I am in great shape. Phil is also very good. I think we can play with several cards. We don't have to control the race like we did last year."

Rarely before has the nature of a world championships course been up for so much debate as the one for this year's race in Florence. Climbers and classics riders alike have all targeted Sunday's race as a genuine opportunity to get possession of  the rainbow jersey with nobody really knowing whether the route is too easy for the pure climbers or to hard for the punchier guys.

Van Avermaet falls into the latter category and he believes that both types of riders will have their chances.

"It's good for both," he said. "Of course you have the climbers but you also have the tough classics riders that can survive on climbs like this. The first climb is hard but I think it will be fine for those guys also. It will be good for tough classics riders but also for stage race guys."

"It's a hard course. It's harder than last year. It's a good course for the Belgian team but it will be hard. We will try to do our best and try to be there like last year."

Van Avermaet will be joined by Gilbert, Jan Bakelants, Johan Vansummeren, Bjorn Leukemans, Maxime Monfort and Serge Pauwels to form the Belgian team for the race.