Britain’s Adam Blythe has followed Philippe Gilbert by making the switch from Omega Pharma-Lotto to BMC Racing.

The 21-year-old, who turned pro with the Belgian team in 2010, has proved to be strong domestique for Gilbert, whose wealth of victories this season include a hat-trick of Ardennes Classics wins and the opening stage of the Tour de France.

With another Classics specialist, Thor Hushovd, also joining the team for 2012, BMC boss Jim Ochowicz has identified Blythe and fellow new signing Klaas Lodewyck as having key roles in the team’s early-season success.

“We are pleased to welcome both Klaas and Adam to the BMC Racing Team family,” said Ochowicz. “They are both young talents that are fast, strong and ready to lend their skills to the BMC Racing Team. We will especially be looking to them to support our team leaders during the Classics season and throughout the rest of the season.”

Blythe added: “The BMC Racing Team wants to make me a better bike rider, which is what I really need at the moment.”

“I would like to go for some stages in races like the Eneco Tour next year, but my main goal is to get onto the classics team. I think it will be very hard, though.”

BMC’s Cadel Evans won the Tour de France in July and the US-based team further strengthened its Grand Tour pedigree by signing Tejay Van Garderen and Marco Pinotti from HTC-Highroad earlier this month.