The 97th edition of the Giro d'Italia begins with a team time trial on May 9, includes individual time trials of 42 and 26.8 kilometers in weeks two and three, plus five major mountain stages with summit finishes before it concludes on June 1.

The BMC Racing Team's roster to support Cadel Evans at the 2014 Giro d'Italia includes a range of riders who have helped him to success at grand tours in past years and in shorter stage races this season.

Joining Evans for the three-week Giro d'Italia that begins May 9 in Belfast, Ireland, are Brent Bookwalter, Steve Morabito and Manuel Quinziato. This trio helped Evans win the 2011 Tour de France.

The roster also includes Daniel Oss and Danilo Wyss, who supported Evans in last year's Giro d'Italia in which the 2009 road cycling world champion finished third.

Last week, Yannick Eijssen and Ben Hermans joined Bookwalter, Morabito and Oss on the winning team time trial squad that catapulted Evans forward on his way toward securing the overall victory at the Giro del Trentino.

Finally the BMC Racing Team's line-up for the Giro features Samuel Sánchez, who rode in support of Evans when he finished seventh at Vuelta al Pais Vasco earlier this year.

"I am delighted with the Giro d'Italia team we have," an excited but calm Evans explained to Roadcycling.com. "I think it will be the best one we have had as a team and I am very happy with the support I will have. They are absolutely committed riders and these are really my guys I trust and know I can rely on."

Evans appreciates having past Olympic road cycling champion Samuel Sanchez riding in support of him in the Giro and is looking forward to his team being able to draw on Sánchez's wealth of experience in his quest for the Giro d'Italia winner's trophy. "We are both reasonably experienced riders who have similar habits and a very similar way of racing," Evans explained. "Having a lieutenant like Samuel is far more than I could have hoped for."

Sanchez will be riding his 15th grand tour.

Despite excluding riders such as Tejay van Garderen, Taylor Phinney and now-retired George Hincapie, BMC Racing Team Sport Director Fabio Baldato claimed the quality of the squad around Evans exceeds any edition the BMC Racing Team has fielded since it first began competing in the Giro d'Italia in 2010.

"It is an amazing team, a strong team," Baldato said. "Coming from our success at Giro del Trentino, a race which brought us a lot of confidence and motivation, I know the form is there and the team can work well around Cadel."

"For sure, the last week will be pivotal," Baldato said. "Cadel has seen most of the route and most of the roads of the time trials, or he knows them from last year or past Giros. So we will be confident from the start that we can do a good team time trial for Cadel and for the morale of the team."

According to Team BMC Racing's general manager Jim Ochowicz his team's performance in the Giro d'Italia is pivotal to achieving the team's overall goals for the 2014 season. Through the first four months, the BMC Racing Team has won 12 races – including three individually by Evans – and compiled 32 podium finishes.

The 2014 Giro d'Italia may turn out to be the final Giro participation for 36-year-old Evans, though many fans and industry insiders are hoping he won't retire after this season. "Our staff and Cadel have put a professional effort into preparing every detail for this year's Giro d'Italia," Ochowicz explained. "Following our early season successes and on the heels of a successful campaign in the Ardennes classics and the Giro del Trentino, we are confident we will carry this momentum into this year's Giro."

Team BMC Racing roster for the 2014 Giro d'Italia:
Cadel Evans (AUS), Samuel Sánchez (ESP), Steve Morabito (SUI), Brent Bookwalter (USA), Yannick Eijssen (BEL), Ben Hermans (BEL), Daniel Oss (ITA), Manuel Quinziato (ITA), Danilo Wyss (SUI).