News: Blythe heads up BMC at Franco-Belge

Adam Blythe, the 2010 winner of Circuit Franco-Belge, headlines the BMC Racing Team’s roster for the four-day race that begins Thursday.

Blythe, from Sheffield in South Yorkshire, who also finished seventh here a year ago, has great form this month, finishing second at Omloop van het Houtland-Lichtervelde, fourth at GP d’Isbergues and fifth on Stage 2 of the World Ports Classic.

“I’m looking forward to it this year,” the winner of Stage 1 of Paris-Corrèze said. “You try to stay consistently good. On the last day, you just try to hang in there on the one climb and try to get up there in the sprint again.” BMC Racing Team Assistant Director Rik Verbrugghe said the team will need to be attentive in the stage race that features four road races ranging in distance from 158 to 187 kilometers.

“From time to time it can be a strange race, like a Flemish classic,” he said. “You have to be smart all four days. If it’s always a sprint, we can do something well with Blythe. If it’s more of a classics-type race – windy or with bad weather conditions – than Taylor Phinney can do something really good. His shape is so good right now.”

BMC Racing Team Circuit Franco-Belge Roster (Sept. 27-30):
Adam Blythe (GBR), Marcus Burghardt (GER), Yannick Eijssen (BEL), Klaas Lodewyck (BEL), Taylor Phinney (USA), Manuel Quinziato (ITA), Michael Schär (SUI), Larry Warbasse (USA).

Sport Director: Rik Verbrugghe (BEL)