Three stages and a total of 370 kilometers are between the start in Welshpool and the finish in Cardiff. At day 40 the shortest Tour of OCM starts for the 11th time. This time with two home riders; Monroe Tremain (Darkwave Recordings) and Carroll Hoofnagel (mortenryt). However their chances for a stage win are low, but they can count on a lot of support from the Welsh people. Cymru Taith is known as a hiller’s race, however in the latest editions, good time trialists have proven that they also have a chance to get a top 10 result in the General Classification.
Winner of last season Slavomil Dittrich can not be found on the start list. The focus of the team is already on the next season, NightmareChaos wants to win the 19th edition of the Perm Tour. Captain of the team has to be Slavomil Dittrich and Cymru Taith doesn’t fit in the program for him. Dittrich is not in, but NightmareChaos is. Let us see who else signed up.
General Classification
*** Jordy Wekenburg (Connaught)
** Élvio Aguiar (CycleMotor), Damario Crusellas (The Doomsday Bunnies)
* Anghel Ghidarcea (WV De Dommel), Ian Defley (Dodge), Wit Pelgrims (ultrajectum)
Youth | | Classification
*** Wit Pelgrims (ultrajectum)
** Luís Landim (Darkwave Recordings), Lasse Alkvist (Raleigh PPDB)
* Yaroslav Moroshkin (NightmareChaos), Thanassis Dadakos (mortenryt), Leo Merenga
(WV De Dommel)
Stage 1, Welshpool - Bangor
*** Jordy Wekenburg (Connaught)
** Élvio Aguiar (CycleMotor), Damario Crusellas (The Doomsday Bunnies)
* Anghel Ghidarcea (WV De Dommel), Ian Defley (Dodge), Wit Pelgrims (ultrajectum)
Stage 2, Newport ITT
*** Thanassis Dadakos (mortenryt)
** Celso Leitão (blast), Lasse Alkvist (Raleigh PPDB)
* Sigurleifur Lútersson (canutes), Aquilino Mourão (CycleMotor), Byron Wallis (Dodge)
Stage 3, Newport – Cardiff
*** Kristoph Villumsen (Darkwave Recordings)
** Jan Thomsen (blast), Freek Dehaese (TACXkin)
* Nicolas Brunschwig (The Doomsday Bunnies), Cor Ooijer (canutes), Dries Francx (Vacansoleil op kop)
Written by freelancer Onie from Onie to OCM Magazine
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The tour beast is back, …..… for another tour. Jan Thomsen is the captain of the Argentinian team. Thomsen who can count on the best lead out train of this Tour should be able to get a podium spot in de last stage and if he can make it over the hills of the first stage a good GC is possible.
 canutes
Since Chilavert and Langenberg lack some time trial skills the captain of the team will be Cor Ooijer. The 31 year old Ooijer who already has a history in Cymru Taith has some good support for the hill en sprint stage. Canutes has a team that can score in all stages.
 CARCYCL
This Belgian team did some math, Hills = Good chance on break away. So CARCYCL takes the gamble and hopes for a break away in the first and last stage. De Keijsere is the best rider of the team, however he is a sprinter it can not be expected that he rides a top 9 in the last stage.
 Connaught
With Jordy Wekenburg the team has one of the best hillers of the tour. Wekenburg won the Youth Classification of the 8th edition of Cymru Taith so he has already shown he is capable of riding a good GC. But as the time passes the competition gets stronger so it will be even harder this time to set a good result. Nevertheless he is the man to beat.
 CycleMotor
CycleMotor came to Wales with a very strong team. The only thing the team misses is a strong hiller. Aguiar will probably the captain since he is the rider who has the best shape of the team. A top 10 in the GC should be possible, just like a podium spot in the first stage.
Darkwave Recordings
Darkwave Recordings will get a lot support from the crowd in Wales. It is not Posthuma they will cheer for but Tremain. However Tremain has to work for the captain Posthuma. Posthuma already finished in the top 5 of the GC in Cymru Taith in the past. Luís Landim is another strong rider from the team, and he should get a top 3 in the YC.
 Dodge
Dodge entered Cymru Taith with an ‘all-Aussie’ team. Leader of the team is good old Ian Defley. Defley who has raced against T-Rex has a good chance for a top 10. The problem for Defley will be the support. Can he count on the support of the time trialists of the team or will they go for own chances?
Equipe Hollandia
The big reorganization has finished. Avery Nijholt has joined Equipe Hollandia but will not join this tour. Nijholt is recharging, so the team goes for the old trick, break away. Equipe Hollandia will just like last Volta try to get a stage result by a break away. Will he succeed this time? Stage 1 is suited for it.
 IndieRock
Kerwin and Reuswigg wil both have chances for a stage result, however it will be hard for Kerwin to get a result in the first stage because he can not count on much support from the team. A good GC will be hard for Kerwin since he lacks some TT-skills. One thing is sure, this team will rock.
 mortenryt
The second Welsh rider of the tour can be found at mortenryt. Is Hoofnagel aloud to go for own chances in the last stage or has he to work for Lizaragga. Lizaragga has two top 9 finishes in Cymru, but it will be hard to copy that. The biggest danger of the team comes from Dadakos. He should be able to get a podium spot in the last stage and a top three in the YC.
 NightmareChaos
This team recently bought a new rider, Aleksandr Saprykin. Saprykin directly became captain of the Cymru Taith team. Saprykin can not be expected to achive anything. The black horse of the team is Yaroslav Moroshkin. Moroshkin just turned in 25 and may still participate in the YC.
omega pharma lotto
The Dutch Jorn Pepping is captain of the omega pharma lotto squad. Pepping has some very good hillers in support, which should give him an extra boost to go for a good GC. Pepping will be the only chance for a good GC since the other hillers of the team are not TT-centered.
 Raleigh PPDB
Cymru Taith is the first tour for the number one of Liechtenstein. The 23 year old Swede Lasse Alkvist is the captain of the team. A podium in the GC is maybe a bit too high but with his strong time trial Alkvist is able to do a top 9. Besides that he is one of the big favorites for the YC.
TACXkin
TACXkin came to Wales for the first and the last stage. Freek Dehaese got the team and the power to get a podium spot in the last stage. A top 9 in the first stage will probably the maximum what the team can get. Maybe with some luck La Rose can get a top 9 spot in the TT.
Team Zero 1
Cheeky Clement Cheregi has claimed the captain role in the team. It would be a great performance as the Romanian all-rounder gets a top 10 spot in the GC. While Portuguese talent Lacerda has the potential to get a top 5 in the YC.
 The Doomsday Bunnies
The Doomsday Bunnies joins Cymru Taith with the nr. 3 of last season, Damario Crusellas. Crusellas can count on the dynamic Swiss duo Mayer and Brunschwig. Crusellas is one of the big favorites for the GC win while Brunschwig is one of the favorites to win the last stage.
 TKT
TKT has a full hill/climb team, therefore the team has only one real chance for a win in the first stage. Felizardo Garontos has topform at the moment, but the expectation is that he will not be able to keep the form till the start from Cymru Taith.
ultrajectum
Wit Pelgrims recently joined the ultrajectum squad. ‘The Pilgrim’ has the skills and support to do ride a nice tour in Wales. The 24 year old Belgium has one little problem. He only knows his team mates from photos. Photos that were made at Delavignette’s birthday party at the Nederlandse Tour. So the confidence in his teammates is not that big at the moment as you can see.
Vacansoleil op kop
32 year old Dries Francx is captain of the Belgian Vacansoleil op kop. Francx who won the last stage of the Volta ao Porto this season is aiming on a result in the first and last stage. Since time trialing is not his cup of (English) tea he will not have a chance for a good GC.
WV De Dommel
One thing is sure, Anghel Ghidarcea will not win the Youth Classification this year because he turned in 25 last year. Besides winning the YC he came in second in the GC. And with the support ‘Ghida’ gathered around him another good result should be possible. Is he able to bring home the 100 kg Colliers Cheddar that the winner gets? We know the answer at day 41.
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