BMC announces 2015 squad, with eight new signings

BMC has become the latest team to announce its full line-up ahead of the new season, with the US based team making another victory in the one-day classics a top priority for 2015.

Two of the team's leading one-day racers, Greg van Avermaet and Philippe Gilbert, both stated in the last few weeks their desire to lead the team at the cobbled classics, including the two monuments Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix.

Van Avermaet led the team in the Flemish classics in 2014, while compatriot Gilbert took the team's first classics win in the Ardennes at Amstel Gold Race.

"We want to go back to the classics and bring home another victory – and possibly a second," said team general manager Jim Ochowicz, who also confirmed that Tejay van Garderen would be making a tilt at a Tour de France podium place, having managed to take fifth place in this year's edition.

"We also have grand tour ambitions with Tejay van Garderen" said Ochowicz, "we would like to elevate him to another level at the Tour de France and get him on the podium in 2015."

BMC has made eight new additions for next year, many of whom are young riders, with veteran rider Samuel Sanchez still undecided on his future and former Tour de France winner Cadel Evans set to retire at the start of February.

Signings also include Damiano Caruso and Alessandro De Marchi from Cannondale, with the former having secured a top 10 finish at the Vuelta a España in 2014 and De Marchi having won the overall award for most combative rider at the Tour and took a stage at the Vuelta.

"Our third priority is with our younger riders," said sporting manager Allan Peiper. "We want to continue to develop those guys by giving them experience, confidence and opportunities to grow their careers.

"We lose some of our GC riders with Cadel Evans and Samuel Sánchez, but we bring on a whole new fleet of young riders who give us a great cross-section of different abilities.

"Campbell Flakemore and Stefan Küng are really good time trialists, Manuel Senni is a great climber and Dylan Teuns can ride the Ardennes classics.

"We go into 2015 with a lot of positive energy and a younger crew on board."

BMC also announced on Wednesday that Australian rider Rohan Dennis, who moved from Garmin-Sharp to the team mid-way through 2014, will be making an attempt at the Hour Record in February at the Velodrome Suisse in Grenchen.

2015 BMC Racing Team squad:

Darwin Atapuma, Brent Bookwalter, Marcus Burghardt , Damiano Caruso, Alessandro De Marchi, Rohan Dennis, Silvan Dillier, Jempy Drucker, Cadel Evans, Campbell Flakemore, Philippe Gilbert, Ben Hermans, Stefan Küng, Klaas Lodewyck, Amaël Moinard, Daniel Oss, Taylor Phinney, Manuel Quinziato, Joey Rosskopf, Michael Schär, Manuel Senni, Peter Stetina , Dylan Teuns, Greg Van Avermaet, Tejay van Garderen, Peter Velits, Danilo Wyss, Rick Zabel.