Groningen, The Netherlands, While the weather is calming down a bit after a big storm last week, all riders gather at the Grote Markt for their team presentation. The big blocked sprinters are all looking though as they know all of these guys are capable of winning this tour.
  
  
   ABK
  They say Mollerup is the best sprinter in the world however he never showed this in a tour. They say he eats Dutch people for breakfast and Portuguese as a snack. Last season was no success but according to manager Andreas this was because they didn’t allow him to have breakfast.
  
  
   blast
  Duo captains are an unusual strategy in Nederlandse if you are going for the win but manager Bernard sees it will be hard to beat all the sprinters in topform and chooses to make different plans for every stage with Malmros and Thomsen as captains.
  
  
   canutes
  When Riel Benet was injured a while ago the team saw their plan to come to Nederlandse with Benet in topform shattered. Now Ooijer will replace him and he will aim for stage 4 and if he fails the prologue we might expect some break away action from the team.
  
  
   CARCYCL
  A debutant in Nederlandse or in any tour for that matter is CARCYCL. His strategy is to watch and learn and his tactic is to look at things stage by stage. His expectations are low because of that but we warn other teams. CARCYCL has a strong team, beware!
  
  
  On a question who is the favorite for a stagewin or Gc win hardly nobody could give a clear answer as it will be very close
  
  
   Darkwave Recordings
  All behind Villumsen that is Darkwave Recordings strategy and with Villumsen in topform that sure sounds like a good choice. However Villumsen has never done well in Nederlandse GC but hey, there got to be a first time for everything right?
  
  
   Dingetjes
  YC winner of season 7 Luxembourger Darius Yvard will again be captain for the Dutch team dispite only being 26 he can already be named a Nederlandse veteran with as said YC win, 4th in GC and a stage win last season. However last season’s tour had a bad ending when Yvard got injured in the final stage.
  
  
   Drapeau Noir
  Drapeau Noir has a successful season with 4 top 9 in GC’s in previous tours. However he claims there won’t be a 5th in this tour but we know Drapeau Noir really knows how to motivate his riders to give just that bit more to be successful. Lizarraga will be captain to claim revenge for the misfortune the team had last season when two riders got injured in the prologue.
  
  
   Equipe Hollandia
  Firing your entire team before the tour has even started. We wonder what that would do to the team spirit but it sure is an odd strategy. Other plans for the strategy are injure Pires, Mollerup and Gordeyeva and trying to win this tour with Acosto. The latter seems like a normal plan for the team who were third last year.
  
  
  Those teams who did try to make a guess often said Pires, Dussel and Sijmonds
  
  
   Greenride
  Pires is a man who is build for Nederlandse, at least according to the competition. But more sign say greenride might win this time as the last two years the team was 3rd and 2nd logic would now say first. The team has the skils, Pires has topform. Who is going to stop him?
  
  
   lastplace1414
  Last season was a season Nederlandse tour was strange to say at least. The American

team had 3 injuries but dispite all that lead out Wann claimed some strong finishes. This time Sherman is again captain and if he stays on the bike he can improve last year’s performance of Wann.
  
  
   Legia
  The prologue has caught the eye of Legia’s time trailers Mardomingo and Kiatkeaw. They will search for success there and will try to defend a good GC position with a break away on stage 4.
  
  
   Onie
  Onie calls his decision to join Nederlandse impulsive but we don’t blame him for joining his home race. Rinzema is captain as last season’s captain Arnolds is taking it easy. Rinzema might try to aim at a podium spot for YC and Roush for a top 9 in the prologue.
  
  
  8 Teams are racing in their own country, 11 team managers are capable of speaking Dutch
  
  
   peddelen
  JJ Dussel won 12 races this season amongst them 4 stages in Germany tour he’s the man in form and the man to beat according to many people. Despite the fact the team is pointing at Pires as the main favorite. The peddelen team still wants to win Nederlandse with a dutch rider more than anything. It will be the cake under the cherry in this season.
  
  
   Rode Stier
  Rode Stier aims to get his captain Rien Roogaars on a top 9 GC spot and as many good results as possible. This includes a possible break away in stage 4. If the result of season 6 is improved, a third place in GC in season 6, the team would be incredible happy.
  
  
   Shinboners
  You can’t get enough of winning. That was likely to go through Shinboners mind when they filed in the signing paper for this edition. Triple winner of the Nederlandse tour will aim for a fourth win before retiring. However competition will be harder than ever.
  
  
   Team Revolutie
  Injuries have been troubling Studsgaar a lot this season as he already had 2 of them this season however he seems to be fit just in time for Nederlandse and sets high goals for his participation. A top 6 in GC and three results in the stages. Despite or rather thanks to the injuries Studsgaar is one of the most rested riders in the tour.
  
  
  There will be 8 captains who will have topform at the start of the tour.
  
  
   Team Washo
  No GC aspirations for Team Washo because of lack of TT and hill abilities in the team. But Themmen and Boje will try to get some results from the remaining stages or from a break away in stage 4.
  
  
   ultrajectum
  Thanks to Delavignette 3rd spot in the Equipe Hollandia outfit, ultrajectum got an invitation to join Nederlandse and the team gladly accepted it. That same Delavignette will be captain claiming it will either a sportive success or a party success as his birthday is at day 81.
  
  
   Ursus RT
  The Youth has the power at Ursus RT with two young riders the team will definitely secure the YC jersey but maybe Sijmonds can also win this tour all together. If he fails Dom Morrison will replace him to at least secure the YC.
  
  
   Yuri SuperTeam
  Who other than Gordeyeva has to lead Yuri SuperTeam in this tour? Patya always did well in Nederlandse with a 3rd, 2nd and a 6th in GC the latter after a tiring Germany Tour. Add an YC win an YC 2nd place and 2 stage wins and you know Gordeyeva will be a competitor to watch out for.
  
  
  Written by pundit pete from peddelen to OCM Magazine