By Heathcliff Fooks
  
  They say the dragon jersey is not easily worn, that even champions feel the weight on their shoulders as they wind their way through the majestic Welsh hills.
  
  One thing is for certain, no one has time to enjoy the incredible view.
  
  There have been eight different winners in eight different years so far, and as the ninth edition kicks off with a bang, it is all up for grabs once again.
  
  Both jersey winners from last season will not be around this time to defend their titles, but 120 riders from 20 teams are champing at the bit and raring to go.
  
  The race route is unchanged from previous years, as cycling fanatics from all over the world converge in Welshpool. For a country that is traditionally rugby mad, nothing else matters, at least for the two days in which this tour spans. The locals are all a bustle as they gear up for the influx of both riders and spectators, their hospitality already legendary. After all, the tour is not only a boon to the sport of cycling, but to the local economy as well.
  
  Stage 1 will kick off in Welshpool, in the north of Wales. The sleepy town is just 4km from the Wales-England border and boasts some of the finest Georgian architecture to be found in the area. The day's riding will see all the professional cyclists heading down to Bangor, Gwynedd, one of the smallest cities in Britain. It is a strange quirk that the 10,000 students at Bangor University form almost half of the city's population, but come Tuesday, their ranks will be boosted by the deluge of spectators descending on the university city.
  
  There will be little time to waste right after however, as they will travel through the night by train down to the South of Wales. The dawn will see them contest a rigorous 35km individual timetrial around the city of Newport. The ride will lead the riders down along the River Usk before making a sharp turn at the Newport Docks and heading up towards St. Woolos Cathedral and the finish line.
  
  Stage 3 resumes late that very afternoon, as battered and bruised riders drag their protesting bodies onto bikes and strike out further south for the capital, Cardiff. The testing 168km route will require an almost superhuman feat of endurance from the participants as the race leaders go for broke. A zigzag ride through the streets of Cardiff will make life hell for them, before a lung-busting sprint that concludes at the steps of the Cardiff City Hall.
  
  As the saying goes, the dragon jersey goes not to the best rider, but to the bravest.
  
  Teams (in alphabetical order)
  
   Alpha Plus
  Andorran all-rounder Jesus Gasquilan leads the charge for the American team and will be hoping to turn around a disappointing season for him so far. Team mate and fellow captain Isidor Spoelberchs has been hogging the spotlight so far this seasons with his two wins, but has not been selected for Cymru Taith. Gasquilan will be backed up by climbing specialist Brendon Emmerson.
  
   Burren Connemara
  Dutch rider Freek van der Werff is the standout in the small Irish outfit and together with Swedish import Hannes Jönsson, will hope to make an opening stand in Stage 1. The Irish sprinting pair of Elroy Jeffcoat and Aiden Langdon are not of the same calibre, but

you never know.
  
   Canuck Racing
  The Canadian outfit will be hoping to get through the opening stages unscathed and contest the final sprint. Raymond Gaul will probably be the only one enjoying the opening climbs with his superior ability on the hills, but the likes of Ryan Ioannidis, Anton Backman and Lyndon Glasco will be hanging on grimly before attempting to open the throttle when they reach Cardiff.
  
   canutes
  Another team that will be mainly going for the close sprint finishes, canutes provides undoubted quality in the likes of Riel Benet and Cor Ooijer. Ooijer and Rolo Chilavert will have no trouble tackling the opening hills, with the latter a real chance to do well while Dutch rider Demy Schiphouwer will contest the individual timetrial.
  
   CycleMotor
  CycleMotor bring a strong team to Cymru Taith, led by superstar Élvio Aguiar. Teodor Bagger is another GC chance, while Aquilino Mourão is in top form and a major chance for timetrial honours. A look at the homegrown domestiques in the team suggest that the Portuguese outfit will be gunning for the climbs.
  
   Darkwave Recordings
  Co Posthuma leads out the English cycling outfit, an above average climber and descender who is serviceable on the hills. Kristoph Villumsen and Alain Dobbelaere will be looking forward to Cardiff and the bunch sprint.
  
   Die Tour Phantome
  The individual timetrial in Newport looks to be all the Dutch team are aiming for, as they have left out their premier climber Manolito Becerra. Jannick Oldenbeuving will be their main hope, as fellow timetrialing specialist Chester Wilkin looks horribly underdone.
  
   Dodge
  The evergreen Ian Defley captains this All-Australian team as they mount an assault on Cymru Taith. His superior climbing and hilling ability is second to few, but only time will tell if he will fail to deceive once again. Fenton Sommers and Byron Wallis will be a chance in the individual timetrial.
  
   Drapeau Noir
  Ruddy Lind and Claude "Magic" Pardons headline the only French team in this season's edition of Cymru Taith. The team's objective will be simple, Lind for Stage 1 and Magic for Stage 3. Nothing else matters.
  
   Equipe 44
  Former winner Salim Wajeeh is once again a raging hot favourite for the GC. With two wins under his belt so far, the Syrian hiller with an explosive kick will be aiming to be the first person ever to win two dragon jerseys. Gavino Zonzini will be doing whatever he can on the climbs to make sure his captain gets there.
  
   mortenryt
  El Salvador's Vidal Lizarraga will be a chance for the GC, with his hilling proclivities and ability to keep up with the other contenders on the straight. If all else fails, Roman Ole? and Mark Studsgaar will be there to pick up the pieces come the final

sprint.
  
   Nairobi City Cycling Club
  Elite timetrialer Jesper Juhl is a force to be reckoned with on the misleadingly named Danish outfit, along with the up and coming Achim Deyhle. There is little doubt that their riders will be seen briefly during Stage 2 and then never heard from again for the rest of the tour.
  
   omega pharma lotto
  Belgian hopes rest on Wit Portai and Danish rider Leon Bødker. Portai is better on the hills than on the sprints, while the reverse is true for Bødker. In any case, they will be hoping for a respectable showing in this tour.
  
   Team Chilli
  The complete opposite to fellow Australian team Dodge, Team Chilli brings a veritable United Nations to the Cymru Taith, with not a single Australian rider in its ranks. Fabrycy Pietrzyk and Aldo Iacovaro will find that the first stage suits their talents. This climbing outfit will definitely be aiming for the opening stage win before coasting into Cardiff.
  
   Team Crazy Downhillers
  Team Crazy Downhillers have brought along a strong team with only one objective - to attack the climbs on the opening stage. All eyes will be on Otto Hagman while Jeremiah Finnell and Sjaak van Fessum offer support.
  
   Team Revolutie
  The team boasts several elite timetrialers in the shape of Rogério Aleixo, Nakos Chaniotis and Igor Faul. While all eyes will be on stage 2 and the individual timetrial in Newport, Clive Steadman will be definitely in the mix when the tour-ending sprint comes along. Julian Pope misses out through injury.
  
   TEAM SERFIN97
  The Italian sprinting team will be boasting two contenders for Stage 3 in Ignatiu Irimia and Humberto Villaroel. They will be ably aided by leadouts Sasha Chahine and Cornelis Uijterhoven. Whether it comes down to Irimia or Villaroel or who will lead the final charge, the team will probably assess their respective conditions before the final stage before making a decision.
  
   Team Zero1
  All-rounder Clement Cheregi and climber Boles?aw Grzesiak are the main threats from Team Zero1, with Oscar De Urquiza an outside chance to do well on Stage 1. A result on the opening stage will make or break their tour.
  
   The Doomsday Bunnies
  St Lucian outfit The Doomsday Bunnies will be hoping for more success after a credible Volta showing. Swiss sprinter Nicolas Brunschwig is the crown jewel in this team and will be hoping his leadout train leads him to victory this time round.
  
   WV De Dommel
  Anghel Ghidarcea looks to be in top form, and with his ability on the hills, is shaping as one of the favourites in this tour. Elite timetrialers Max Roogaars and Cazimir Zafiu are surprising no shows, preferring to contest the one day races instead.
  
  The Dodge Racing Channel will be offering coverage of the Cymru Taith, featuring former greats and racing experts Arnold Schurman and Keegan Shiable