Team HTC-Highroad is ready to begin its assault on the first major Classic of the 2011 season this Saturday with former winner Mark Cavendish and Matt Goss as two options for the finale in the 2011 Milano-San Remo. Watch video highlights from the 2011 Milan-San Remo race in the video section here on Roadcycling.com after the race finish.

"Mark (Cavendish) has already won this race and he'll be our leader;" Team HTC-Highroad sports director Valerio Piva commented and added "He's motivated, physically he's in pretty much the same condition as when he won it in 2009 and we're sure he'll give it 100 percent."

"We also have Matt Goss who has already won eight races this year and we have a good support team around them both. Of course if it comes down to a bunch sprint in San Remo and Mark is there, then we'll be working all out for him."

Piva is confident that Cavendish has great form coming off Tirreno-Adriatico and finds that Goss is in great shape after a successful Paris-Nice.

"The important thing is to finish Tirreno-Adriatico and Paris-Nice in top condition and that's definitely the case for both Mark and Matt. When we get to the start-line of Milan-San Remo, we're in a completely different race. Mark is confident and he knows what he wants," Piva continued.

Team HTC-HighRoad reports that it has conducted two reconnaissance rides over the 2011 Milan-San Remo course and is ready for what Piva calls one of "the most difficult races of the season."

"The terrain is easy and you can be the most in-form rider in the bunch, but it's still a very stressful race. Crashes and other problems can happen at any point. It's very fast and everybody wants to be on the front all the time."

"So luck plays a big part, and without a strong team to support you at the crucial moments, it's impossible to win," Piva concluded.

Team HTC-Highroad roster for 2011 Milan - San Remo:
Mark Cavendish (GB); Matt Goss (Aus); Bert Grabsch (Ger); Michael Albasini (Swi); Lars Bak (Den); Bernhard Eisel (Aut); Mark Renshaw (Aus); Peter Velits (Svk).

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