BMC announces six signings for 2011
In hopes of landing a UCI ProTour license later this year, Swiss outfit BMC has made six new signings for the 2011 season. Joining the team next season are Belgium’s Greg van Avermaet and Yannick Eijssen, French rider Amael Moinard, Italian duo Manuel Quinziato and Ivan Santaromita, and Switzerland's Johann Tschopp.
“The talent we have acquired will be beneficial to our stage racing group, to our roster for the Grand Tours and to our team for the classics," stated the BMC's Directeur Sportif, John Lelangue, after the deals were announced. "That's the reason we're representative all season and that's important to us.”
Versatile additions
Greg van Avermaet will be BMC's hope in next year's classics. The 25 year-old, who won the Rund und dem Hainleite-Erfurt in 2007, has placed the Tour of Flanders and the Amstel Gold Race among his top priorities. “The Classics are always very important races for a Belgian rider,” Van Avermaet said, also adding that he wants to challenge in the Grand Tours.
Tschopp, a climbing specialist, joins BMS from Bouygues Telecom, for whom he won Stage 20 of this year’s Giro d'Italia. His arrival is expected to boost the general classification bids made by BMC's star rider, Cadel Evans, next year. Evans won the points classification in this year's Giro d'Italia, and held the the yellow jersey in Stage 9 of the Tour de France in July. The Australian hopes to improve in the Grand Tours during next season.
Moinard, who won a stage at Paris–Nice earlier this year, will also be relied upon to support Evans at BMC.
Santaromita currently rides in support of Ivan Basso at Liquigas-Doimo and should be able to help Evans up the tougher climbs of the 2011 season.
BMC's new additions should increase the team's chances of obtaining a ProTour licence for next season. With such high ambitions and a generous budget, BMC's application to the UCI is tipped to be successful.
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