BMC trusts their young captain

2014 is going to be biggest test in Tejay van Garderen’s career so far, and he enters the new season as BMC’s captain in a number of cycling's most important races.

BMC confirms his role, and outlines the races in which the young American will participate:

"It's all Tour de France oriented but he won’t be going to the Tour of California," Allan Peiper, performance manager of BMC Racing confirmed to Cyclingnews.

"Instead he’ll be doing the classic build up to the Tour de France with Dauphine, Romandie and Paris-Nice. He has the weight on his shoulders for 2014 and he realises that. With a good programme in place and a good structure he should be firing on all pistons for the big event."

Van Garderen has previously had good results in the Tour de France, and it should not come as a surprise that both he and BMC considers him ready to backed by the team.

"He would like to do the Tour and I think he's old enough and has the depth but it’s going to be up to him to show that he’s ready for it," Peiper told Cyclingnews.

Van Garderen’s schedule will also focus on the flatter classics as his time trialing skills might suit them well.

"We do want him to be ready for the Classics, especially Paris-Roubaix and the rest of the flat Classics as they’re the things that he can do well in. There are two objectives that we want him to focus on next year, the time trials and the flat Classics. That time trialing has to go right through the season and he’s aware of that responsibility within the team. He needs to prove to us that he’s ready to go to the Tour de France and that he's ready to step up as it were."

Despite relying on him as their main captain, it also seems like BMC is expecting him to live up to the responsibility:

"He had some good results but they were very sporadic and for a rider of his calibre and at his stage of development he has to be more there. Again in his defence he was in the Giro and had a problem with his groin. It was a major problem that could have affected his career if it wasn't taken care of, and that basically took him out until he started to come back at the Tour of Poland. His prep for the end of the season wasn't ideal with the saddle sore and that jeopardised the second part of his season that also involved the words," Peiper told to Cyclingnews.

"He realises that he needs to get off to a good start, focus on the time trials, right from January and have a big push for the Classics. Then he can take time to prepare for the Tour de France and possible selection. He realises that he doesn’t have a sure-fire place in the Tour and that he’s going to have to fight for his position."

It will be very interesting to follow the progress of Van Garderen, and with his particular sets of skills the Tour de France just might be accomplishable. Dark horse for sure.