BMC Racing have announced its line-up for the Tour de France, with the team going `all in` for leader Richie Porte. Paris-Roubaix champion Greg Van Avermaet has the freedom to chase a third stage win in as many years, but otherwise the nine-man team is geared around Porte´s bid for a first Grand Tour title. As well as delivering Porte to Paris in the yellow jersey, the US-registered team hopes to take it on the opening day, with Stefan Küng a bona fide contender for the 14km time trial in Dusseldorf on July 1. There was a possibility that Rohan Dennis, who took yellow on the opening day of the 2015 Tour, might come back to try to repeat the feat but despite being forced out of the Giro d´Italia by an early crash, the Australian is sticking to the plan that excluded July.ADVERTISEMENT Porte, for the first time in his career, will have a Grand Tour team built around him. After serving as a super domestique for Chris Froome and Bradley Wiggins at Team Sky, the Tasmanian made the switch to BMC last year but leadership at the Tour de France was shared, nominally at least, with Tejay van Garderen. This year the American was sent to the Giro d`Italia, while all the eggs were placed in Porte`s basket. Thus far he has delivered on the responsibility with a fine run of form. Greg Van Avermaet, the team´s Classics star who enjoyed an impeccable spring, is the one rider with freedom to leave Porte´s side. After tasting success in each of the past two editions of the Tour - last year also brought a spell in yellow - he will once again hunt stages in the medium mountains. `We are going all in for Richie. All nine of our riders are coming to the Tour de France in good condition and we have a strong team. When we started planning for the Tour de France in December last year, these were the nine riders we had in mind,` said directeur sportif Fabio Baldato, who has worked closely with Porte this season. Backing from Roche and Caruso in the mountains A true cand ...
|
