Team HTC-Highroad set for tough opening weekend of Belgian Classics at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Kuurne-Bruxelles-Kuurne.

Bad weather is expected this weekend for Belgium's first two major Classics of the 2011 pro road cycling season, Het Nieuwsblad and Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne, but HTC-Highroad sports director, Allan Peiper says his team is ready for action no matter how hard the race conditions.

"We rode over the final 90 kilometers of Het Nieuwsblad this Thursday, so we've checked out the points where it'll come down to the final survivors," Peiper commented and added "but the conditions are going to be tough."

"It was looking pretty dirty out there, there's a lot of mud covering the roads, it was wet this morning and we're expecting a very testing event, a really muddy and murky day's racing."

"Het Niuewsblad will be a lot tougher than last year because this time they go three times across the Haeghoek cobbled section, so they'll already have had some softening up before they get to the really crucial part of the race."

As for the Team HTC-Highroad line-up for the two Belgian Classics, "We'll have Bernie Eisel, who won Ghent-Wevelgem last year, as our leader on the Saturday, but he won't be racing Sunday. He's had a lot of races already and he will be challenging in the Classics later in the season, too." Peiper added.

"Hayden [Roulston] was fourth last year in Kuurne, though, and he's been good all the way up until now this season, including taking the New Zealand national championships, so he should be up there again."

"If Roulston can get over the late climbs with the front group in Het Nieuwsblad he's got a great chance on the cobbled sections that should decide the race."

"Those are two names I'd single out, but having seen how the guys were riding today as a team, I'm very optimistic about our chances overall in both events," Peiper concluded.

Team HTC-Highroad for 2011 Omloop Het Nieuwsblad: Lars Bak (Den); John Degenkolb (Ger); Bernhard Eisel (Aut), Jan Ghyselinck (Bel); Hayden Roulston (NZ), Alex Rasmussen (Den); Gatis Smukulis (Lat), Martin Velits (Svk).

Team HTC-HighRoad for 2011 Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne (2011 Kuurne-Bruxelles-Kuurne): Lars Bak (Den); Matt Brammeier (Ire); Jan Ghyselinck (Bel); Leigh Howard (Aus); Danny Pate (USA); Hayden Roulston (NZ); Gatis Smukulis (Lat); Martin Velits (Svk).