Van Avermaet won this race two years ago and has four wins to his credit this season, including two at the Tour de Wallonie, as well as the overall title. On Tuesday, he finished third at Binche-Chimay-Binche, registering his 14th podium finish.

"With the roster we bring, we have a great chance to get a good result with Greg and also Michael Schär for the final," said Ledanois, who won the amateur version of Paris-Tours in 1988. Schär has been a breakaway threat all season, having won his Swiss road championship in June from a two-man escape. In March, he initiated a four-man, 180-km move at Strade Bianche that was only caught in the final kilometre as Van Avermaet finished sixth. Those two will be joined in the 235-km, French semi-classic by Tour of Alberta stage winner Silvan Dillier, past Danish national road champion Sebastian Lander, Klaas Lodewyck and Jakub Novak, who joins Dillier as stagiaires called up from the BMC Development Team.

BMC Racing Team Paris-Tours Roster (Oct. 13):
Silvan Dillier (SUI), Yannick Eijssen (BEL), Sebastian Lander (DEN), Klaas Lodewyck (BEL), Jakub Novak (CZE), Michael Schär (SUI), Greg Van Avermaet (BEL).