16 December 2011

New BMC 2012 team roster

BMC Racing roster

VeloNews reported today that the final roster for 2012 has been decided. With it comes the typical subjective claims of being the best and promises of numerous victories in the coming year. Trust me, I believe them, but we fans hear a lot of this talk this time of year. Look beyond the talk because this team has some impressive riders on the new roster for 2012: Philippe Gilbert, Thor Hushovd, Cadel Evans, Tejay VanGarderen, George Hincapie, and many others including one of my favorites Manuel Quinziato.

On the official team website, Directeur Sportif John Lelangue, is reported as saying the BMC Racing Team has two objectives for the 2012 season: successful defense of Evans's Tour de France title and competitiveness in the classics. This is the year of the mega-team. This is also the year when reading down most of these new team rosters one can check off, "Classics rider, TDF rider, Classics, Classics, TDF, very over-worked domestique, TDF rider, oh look a sprinter ...."
2012 BMC Racing Team Roster: 
Alessandro Ballan (ITA)
Adam Blythe (GBR)
Brent Bookwalter (USA)
Marcus Burghardt (GER)
Stephen Cummings (GBR)
Yannick Eijssen (BEL)
Cadel Evans (AUS)
Mathias Frank (SUI)
Philippe Gilbert (BEL)
George Hincapie (USA)
Thor Hushovd (NOR)
Martin Kohler (SUI)
Klaas Lodewyck (BEL)
Amaël Moinard (FRA)
Steve Morabito (SUI)
Taylor Phinney (USA)
Marco Pinotti (ITA)
Manuel Quinziato (ITA)
Tim Roe (AUS)
Mauro Santambrogio (ITA)
Ivan Santaromita (ITA)
Michael Schär (SUI)
Johann Tschopp (SUI)
Greg Van Avermaet (BEL)
Tejay Van Garderen (USA)
Danilo Wyss (SUI)
President/General Manager: 
Jim Ochowicz (USA)

Co-Owner: 
Andy Rihs (SUI)

Directeur Sportif: 
John Lelangue (BEL)

Assistant Sports Directors: 
Fabio Baldato (ITA)
Michael Sayers (USA) 
Max Sciandri (ITA/GBR)
Rik Verbrugghe (BEL)

Read the full report published by VeloNews. Read and view photos of the team BMC bikes