Team HTC-Columbia is prepared for a much tougher course than usual in Wednesday's edition of the Fleche Wallonne race, the first of the Ardennes Classics taking place in Belgium.

"It's going to be very different because the second-last ascent of the Mur De Huy climb is much closer to the finish than in previous years," Team HTC-Columbia's sports director Valerio Piva explained. "That means breakaways will have a much better chance of getting away on the second time up the Mur de Huy climb and staying away. We won't have 50 riders at the foot of the climb for the third and final ascent like we've seen in other years. For HTC-Columbia's riders, that's good because they'll be trying to get in a long-distance attack."

According to a team spokesman, the HTC-Columbia team will not be racing with one specific leader, "rather everybody will have their chance. We'll be trying to play out all sorts of options," Piva stated when asked to elaborate on this decision.

The recent closure of many European airports because of the ash clouds from an Icelandic volcano has seen some HTC-Columbia riders taking on long-distance drives in order to reach the race location in time for the race. "Rasmus [Guldhammer] has driven up from Italy and Craig [Lewis] came up by car from Spain. It's been quite a trip for both of them, but they'll have one day to rest before the race itself."

Team HTC-Columbia roster for 2010 Fleche Wallonne:
Michael Albasini (Swi), Rasmus Guldhammer (Den); Craig Lewis (USA); Maxime Monfort (Bel); Marco Pinotti (Ita); Martin Velits (Svk), Peter Velits (Svk).