The BMC Racing Team presented its 2014 rider roster and management team Friday at the new Velodrome Suisse, not far from BMC Switzerland’s headquarters in Grenchen, Switzerland.
Six New Riders
Twenty-two riders return from the 2013 squad that won 30 races, including a stage of the Vuelta a España, four stage races overall and seven team classifications. Included on the roster are four past world road champions: Alessandro Ballan (Italy), Cadel Evans (Australia), Philippe Gilbert (Belgium) and Thor Hushovd (Norway), plus two reigning national road champions, Michael Schär (Switzerland) and Hushovd, and one national time trial champion, Peter Velits (Slovakia). Greg Van Avermaet, the team’s top rider in the individual WorldTour rankings, also returns. Six riders are new for 2014: Darwin Atapuma (Colombia), Silvan Dillier (Switzerland), Ben Hermans (Belgium), Peter Stetina (United States), Velits (Slovakia) and Rick Zabel (Germany). Hermans was not present at the presentation due to prior racing commitments.
Goals For 2014
Sporting Manager Allan Peiper, who will lead the team’s five sport directors as well as oversee the new Sports Science Division, said he has five objectives for the BMC Racing Team for 2014. “This team won 21 races and the world championship last year and we won 30 races this year in what we call an unsuccessful year,” Peiper said. “So next year, it would be great and it would be successful if we could have 40 wins, win a one-day classic, a grand tour, the world championship team time trial and retain our place again in the top three of the UCI teams.” Returning sport directors Fabio Baldato, Yvon Ledanois, Max Sciandri and Jackson Stewart will be joined by newcomer Valerio Piva.
Continued Growth And Development
BMC Racing Team President/General Manager Jim Ochowicz said he has marveled at the considerable growth of the program since the team’s inception in 2006. “We’ve won a Tour de France title, a world championship and many other races,” he said. “We have grown each year, we have developed each year, and we continue to grow and develop. I’m excited about 2014. We have lofty goals – we need those – but we have a very capable group of riders. All of us together, sport directors, riders and staff will meet those goals and show the peloton again what we are all about. I know a lot of the other teams are very competitive and we need competition. We enjoy it. So we’re looking forward to a really strong season in 2014.”
2014 BMC Racing Team Roster:
Darwin Atapuma (COL), Alessandro Ballan (ITA), Brent Bookwalter (USA), Marcus Burghardt (GER), Steve Cummings (GBR), Silvan Dillier (SUI), Yannick Eijssen (BEL), Cadel Evans (AUS), Philippe Gilbert, Ben Hermans (BEL), Thor Hushovd (NOR), Martin Kohler (SUI), Sebastian Lander (DEN), Klaas Lodewyck (BEL), Amaël Moinard (FRA), Steve Morabito (SUI), Dominik Nerz (GER), Daniel Oss (ITA), Taylor Phinney (USA), Manuel Quinziato (ITA), Michael Schär (SUI), Peter Stetina (USA), Greg Van Avermaet (BEL), Tejay van Garderen (USA), Peter Velits (SVK), Larry Warbasse (USA), Danilo Wyss (SUI), Rick Zabel (GER).
President/General Manager:
Jim Ochowicz (USA)
Sponsor:
Andy Rihs (SUI)
Sporting Manager:
Allan Peiper (AUS)
Sport Directors:
Fabio Baldato (ITA), Yvon Ledanois (FRA), Valerio Piva (ITA), Max Sciandri (ITA), Jackson Stewart (USA).
Photo © Christy Nicholson / EchelonDesignPhoto.com
