The BMC Racing Team, defending champion of the men's team time trial, announced its roster for Sunday's UCI world championship in Richmond, Virginia.

Rohan Dennis, Silvan Dillier, Stefan Küng, Daniel Oss, Taylor Phinney and Manuel Quinziato are the six riders who will pilot their BMC timemachine TM01s over the 38.8-kilometer course.

Peter Velits, who has been part of the winning team all three years the event has been run since 2012, is the first alternate.

BMC Racing Team Trainer Marco Pinotti said the roster selection process began with a review of which riders were best suited for the course.

"We started with the six riders who were part of the winning team last year," Pinotti said. "Two of them were not available: Tejay van Garderen, unluckily, had an injury in the Vuelta a España and Peter was good at the Vuelta but not at his top level yet. The other four are in good form, so we needed to replace those two. Phinney and Küng have recovered fully from their injuries, so they replaced them."

Dennis, Dillier, Oss and Quinziato are the returnees from last year's gold medal-winning squad. Küng, the reigning world individual pursuit champion on the track, makes his first appearance in the event. Phinney was part of the BMC Racing Team's team time trial squads in 2012 and 2013, but was sidelined by injury last year.

Roster:
Rohan Dennis (AUS), Silvan Dillier (SUI), Stefan Küng (SUI), Daniel Oss (ITA), Taylor Phinney (USA), Manuel Quinziato (ITA).
Alternate: Peter Velits (SVK)

Rider quotes:
Rohan Dennis:
"Time trials are sort of my specialty, but I still get nervous. You do not know how well other people are going, but that is something you have to put behind you. There are no tactics. You just hope the preparation you have done is the best and that you win on the day."

Silvan Dillier:
"Last year, we were sitting on the hot seat and saw the other teams still in the race - a few of them the favorites. We saw the last time split and knew we could win the race. But we were not sure until the last team crossed the finish line. So it was an intense moment. When I look back, it was a really special moment and I hope we can enjoy a moment like this again this year."

Stefan Küng:
"I was really training hard for this and it was a big objective of mine. I am really looking forward to it. I am a little bit nervous because I have never done the world championships, which is always different. But I think we have a good group of guys."

Daniel Oss:
"We feel great. We arrive from a big season where we won three big team time trials: at the Vuelta a España, the Tour de France and the Critérium du Dauphiné. So we are focused on the first position and the best result. But at the same time, we have one foot on the ground because it is never easy. You always have to understand each other and the effort you have to do."

Taylor Phinney:
"I am happy that I was able to make the team. I feel like I can contribute in a way that I was able to contribute before my accident, which is saying a lot. To be honest, I did not even think I was going to have the ability to make this team a couple of months ago, before I started racing. Then I started racing and I started doing well and exceeded most of my expectations at the Tour of Utah and the USA Pro Challenge. After those races, I thought I would try to make the selection, knowing it is not easy. I went to Belgium and rode with the guys and surprised myself - and I think I surprised the management as well. All of a sudden it was like, 'Oh man, maybe I will do the team time trial at the world championships.' It was on my radar, but something I was not getting my hopes up for because it is such an intense effort. I did not think my knee and my body could handle it."

Manuel Quinziato:
"Last year, we won without being the favorite. So this year we have more pressure. It is the first time that we are the favorite. It is good for the morale and for the confidence, but it makes things harder because we really have to be focused and ready to suffer as much as last year."

Peter Velits:
"To be the alternate is really harder than I thought. Last year, I won with this team, which was a really nice feeling - and one of the best victories I have had in the team time trial. Naturally, I would like to be on this team again, but the year was not really perfect for me. I was suffering quite a lot with injury and coming back. Even with all the titles and all the experience I have, I still do not feel I am at the level of the guys who are here."