Team profile: BMC Racing
Nationality:USA, with a Swiss sponsor.
Track record:2012 - 1st in young rider classification for Tejay van Garderen2011 - Overall winner Cadel Evans
Team leader:Tejay Van Garderen. The American was fifth overall in 2012 and won the white jersey for best young rider. Talked of as a future Grand Tour winner.
Changes from 2013:2011 winner Evans focused on the Giro this year and may not race the Tour again, while Philippe Gilbert has also been picked for other races. Peter Velits, a speedy Slovakian who was second in the 2010 Vuelta a Espana, has joined the team along with some Colombian climbing spice added via Darwin Atapuma.
How will they do?Van Garderen along with the whole team had a very disappointing race last year, and will be looking to at least equal his 2012 final position. He has great all-round skills and an attacking spirit, but beating Froome and Contador is a considerable step up. The team bucked up its ideas and tactics after 2013's race and is in better form this year. Van Garderen leads the team at the Tour for the first time but has experienced help available in the form of Amaël Moinard, Marcus Burghardt and Michael Schär, who all helped Evans to his Tour win.
The full nine:Darwin Atapuma (Colombia), Marcus Burghardt (Germany), Amaël Moinard (France), Daniel Oss (Italy), Michael Schär (Switzerland), Peter Stetina (USA), Greg Van Avermaet (Belgium), Tejay van Garderen (USA) and Peter Velits (Slovakia).