We are close to the start of the tour where the riders drink sangria instead of water, where they eat paella instead of beef and where they go to bull-fights in order to relax during stages. Yes, we can only be in one country, Spain! We are approaching the 2nd edition of the Vuelta de los Castillos, where a lot of top-riders have come together to try and get a new win on their palmares. It is widely known this is a tour everyone wants to be in, this resulting in the fact that this edition all the wildcards were distributed within 10 minutes, leaving a lot of teams behind with the agony of not being able to join. Last year the Belgians took it all, with the GC- and SC-victory from Wit Feaux (IGF) and the YC-win by tour-specialist Chris Bauwens (Team Crazy Downhillers). They are back in it again, but a lot of riders are out for revenge so it’s going to be a wide open tour. Anyway enough of that for now, it is about time to meet with the participants of this year’s edition. Fasten your seatbelts everyone!
 Onie
The Dutch team has only recently enjoyed arguably the biggest win of their career with the SC-win of Dutch sprinter Arnolds in the Volta ao Porto. After getting the taste of a nice jersey they are eager to make it 2 in a row. Therefore, they have given Arnolds a very good set of lead-outs, along with some guys with TT-skills hoping to get a decent result there as well. This was the recipe in Portugal, will they also succeed in Spain?
 Yuri Super Team
They are in with a strong GC-team, hoping to do better than the 7th place of last edition. And who is ideally placed to do that? Of course, Joop Daems himself. This Dutch powerhouse can count on very good and reliable team-mates, and hopes to make the difference in the pure and long climbs, where his experience and endurance is a key-factor.
WV De Dommel
If there is one thing for sure, then it is the fact that tours don’t have any secrets for tour-hunting team WV De Dommel. But around this time of the season, there are several tours that have to be raced, so you have to make decisions. The decision of Mark is to let their superstars, Ghida and Stubbe, out of this one, and start with a ‘B-team’. Looking at his entered riders, I think it’s fair to say all of us would want to have a B-team like this! It is rumored they will attack every stage from the start, hoping to do some damage and get a surprise victory!
peddelen
What is the way that leads to success? Good riders? That helps, but the main factor is to be a good manager, and that is something that can be said of this team. Pete is known for his micro-management, which has brought the team several successes. This time he has succeeded in setting up a complete climbing squad in very short time. This with the goal of trying to get a podium in the GC with the in-form Czech Michala. I am a believer, are you?
 Kremer
It’s hard to pick either a SP-team or a CL-team for this race. If you can’t decide, just do it both! That’s the philosophy of Polish wojciu, which resulted in selecting a strong climber, Zahorecz , and a strong all-round sprinter, Ferrin. Problem is that giving good support to both is difficult, but they hope to make that up with the determination Polish people are famous for. Also, they aren’t scared to go along with a break-away if the time is right. Yes, those Poles are always a handful!
Die Tour Phantome
‘Falur Sigfinnursson’, we have heard that some managers wake up at night, soaked in sweat. This could be because they have troubles with spelling the name of Sigfinuririr… erm, Falur, but we believe it is because his skills are feared by many. This Icelandic monster only became pro at a respected age, but has since shown the cycling-world what he’s made of. He has been given a good set of team-mates, hoping to make an irreversible impression.
 johny2
Scottish people are known for their bagpipes and kilts. But did you know they also have very good riders over there? If not, you’ll experience it soon enough. They have entered 2 of Scotland’s finest export products, Grover Skinner and Gresham Tammany. Especially the latter should be watched closely, as he is rumored to be in the form of his life, and it may well be his last big trick as a cycling-pro, as he is quickly approaching the retirement age. That | | will surely give him some extra power.
 Nairobi City Cycling Club
NCCC = Time-trial. So it shouldn’t be surprising that they entered Isac Tingmann as their captain. The other 2 main men of the team, Deyle and Juhl, are currently resting. Along with their other Danish TT’er, Birch, NCCC targets 2 top-9 in the time trial. The rest of the team will try to escape from the bunch as much as possible.
 CCFC
If you’re top-15 in the rider rankings, you must be great. And great he is, the Romanian gipsy Spiridon ‘Spiri’ Atepri. He is a very complete sprinter and will try to show his worth once more. He brings with him a lot of support, so they will fancy their chances. Also watch out for TT-specialists, Nagy and Zkumavka. To complete the team, they have opted for mountain-goat Ricardo Miguez. At this point it isn’t 100% clear what his role in the team will be, but we think he will be used to lead the team in the ‘grupetto’ so that they are sure to finish within the time-limit in the kings’ stage.
 Telstra
G-o-d-d-a-r-d S-c-o-t-h-e-r-n. THE man if it comes to multiple-day races. While only being 28yo, the Australian is already one of the best tour-riders there ever, and if he goes on like this, when he’ll retire, he’ll probably be the best tour-rider EVER. So you just can’t look past him. To make it even better he gets full support of 5 great team-mates of which Otto Hagman, a 2 times RotM-winner himself. This team will certainly live up to the expections!
Cyclemotor
The Portuguese team brings a full Portuguese squad, of which a deadly Portuguese duo, Freitas and Aguiar. They will try to shine on Spanish roads, a neighbor of Portugal. They both have proved already to be build for tours, as they have achieved several top-9’s, of which the 2 most eye-catching are the top-9’s in the Volta ao Porto, the big tour in Portugal. Did I already mention they’re Portuguese? Oh wait, never mind…
Ursus RT
If anyone would enter a 4-men team, then Ursus RT would be the nr.1 team without a doubt. The strength of De Bode, Bauwens, Tolman and Van Bockorst is immense. But since this tour is no different than any other, 6 men were needed. In this case, this brings the quality of the team down. The question for this team will be: are 4 giants sufficient to do really well in top-division tour? Only time will tell…
 Scuppernong
This English team has always been known for their good climbers, so this was a party they did not want to miss. They have brought Will Geiger as their captain, supported with 5 balanced team-mates. It has been over 5!! seasons since they last joined a tour, so they are very eager on success this time. Eager + talent seems a good combination, so you’d better watch out for them!
Greenride
“Greenride entered, ahh, they have entered Pires, Balsemao and the rest of their lead-out train, no? Whaaat? A climbing team, where did that come from?” This is what many would think, knowing the team’s history. But manager Raimundas was able to build up a climbing team from nowhere to the one that has entered this race in less than a week. And it is one from a big quality! Godo Figueiredo is their main man, and with his talent, he could go a long way in this tour.
 Quick step minded
Belgium’s nr.2 has opted for the right tactic in this race. Where the field is mostly focused on GC-riders, they have entered this tour with a bunch of sprinters. They will go all-in on the flatter courses, hoping to do some damage in the final straight. The SC-podium seems a realistic goal to them, as long as the GC-guys don’t grab to many points along the way.
 Drapeau Noir
Danish super talent Ruddy Lind will try to do better than the 9th place he got last edition. This time he brings a better team with him, so it seems possible. However, at first sight, you would say the team still isn’t with the 9 best teams that have entered this race. But this is exactly the strength of the French ensemble. From the moment they are underestimated by some, they get some kind of
| | super power and overachieve. Ruddy has done that on many occasions, and we believe he can do it again!
 Team Revolutie
Old dog and ex-world champion Travis ‘TP’ Plowman has again reached a high in his career. After gradually slipping down to lower-based teams, he was picked up again by this top-team and since then seemed to have gotten his great form again, resulting in a win in his last race before the Vuelta. With his experience he won’t get nervous at the tensed moments in this race and will be one of the main contenders. He can also count on a great team, of which Jaudon is the stand-out team-mate.
IGF
‘Señor’ Wit Feaux is back to claim what is his heritage! After dominating this tour last time around, the expectations will be high and all the other favorites will be looking at him. Although, some doubts have been raised in the last days before this race about his form, not in the least by his own team-manager koen. Is this realistically, or are they just spreading some false rumors to mislead the competition? Anyway, it is always said; good riders can win it once, but truly great riders win it twice. Will Wit Feaux proof he is one of them?
NECFTW
Zack ‘Diamond’ Davie has conquered many big races last season and has finished on the podium of this very race. But the missing link in his trophy-closet is a big tour. Will this be his edition? He has a great team and the capacities to do so. But if he would fail, Noppes already protects his rider by saying “I f***ed up Davie’s form”. Has he jumped to conclusions to soon, or is his ‘connaisseur’-eye correct once again? We’ll find out in a week!
Team Crazy Downhillers
A tour without TCD is like a woman without breasts, there is something missing. Luckily this tour is a 100%-woman, as the Danish tour-team has secured the final spot in this season’s line up. Where we would all expect the specialist and last year’s nr.2, Chris Bauwens, TCD has pulled a white rabbit out of his head, and presented us the great Italian climber Impellitieri. He is in the best form of his career, and has Bauwens as a luxury team-mate. He could go all the way we feel…
Predictions:
Stage 1: Sagunto - Castillo de Sagunto
*** Falur Sigfinnursson, Travis Plowman
** Anatoliy Michala, Spiridon Apetri, Will Ferrin
* Isac Tingmann, Izak Van Bethlehem, Joop Daems
Stage 2: Sagunto - Castillo de Villamalefa
*** Anatoliy Michala, Travis Plowman
** Umberto Impellitteri, Joop Daems, Falur Sigfinnursson
* Godo Figueiredo, Zack Davie, Élvio Aguiar
Stage 3: Villamalefa – Castellón
*** Spiridon Apetri
** Izak Van Bethlehem, Nicolaas Arnolds, Will Ferrin
* Grover Skinner, Goddard Scothern, Wit Feaux
Stage 4: La Vall d’Uixó - Morella (kings’- stage)
*** Travis Plowman, Anatoliy Michala, Umberto Impellitteri
** Élvio Aguiar, Joop Daems, Falur Sigfinnursson
* Godo Figueiredo, Gresham Tammany, Goddard Scothern
Stage 5: Morella – Morella
*** Anatoliy Michala, Boris Turcescu
** Travis Plowman, Gresham Tammany
* Falur Sigfinnursson, Werner de Bode, Nicolaas Arnolds
Stage 6: Vinaròs - Castillo de Peñíscola (ITT)
*** Isac Tingmann, Olexandr Nagy
** Jammy Verbeeck, Benjamin Zkumavka
* Goddard Scothern, Leon Roush, Ruddy Lind
Youth Classification:
*** Will Ferrin
** Augusto Lousã
* Tobias Folsom, Antony Inbrioarloto, Gervaas Oldenbeuving
Sprint Classification:
*** Travis Plowman, Anatoliy Michala
** Spiridon Atepri, Izak Van Bethlehem
* Nicolaas Arnolds, Goddard Scothern, Falur Sigfinnursson
General Classification:
*** Anatoliy Michala, Travis Plowman
** Gresham Tammany, Umberto Impellitteri, Joop Daems
* Goddard Scothern, Godo Figueiredo, Ruddy Lind, , Falur Sigfinnursson
(Note: if anyone feels left out, do not hold OCMagazine responsible for this!)
Written by pundit Quick Step minded from Quick Step minded to OCM Magazine
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