This is the best time of the year to come to Perm. The weather is nice, even hot but never suffocating, and the monotony of a white winter is replaced with a green beauty. In keeping with this, the peloton of Perm Tour (which celebrates its 20th edition) has decided to explode in green. In green triangles, more specifically. It’s going to be tough for non-top form riders, but even for those who have it. There is no clear favourite –which can also be read as “there are too much favourites for me to pick one”-, so one is to expect a great battle.
  
   ultrajectum Hoping for a podium, ultrajectum brings an amazing team (four riders over AV50!). Pelgrims is willing to do well with top form, but Randel is favourite in second stage, for example. They are also racing in RotM: too much for a 9-man team? Curious fact: ultrajectum is down to 8th division.
  
   old town racing club
  Whether they rely on their experienced captain Chalmers Kerwin or in Jacob Roberts, both good hilly-sprinter-allrounders, they may not get more than a couple of top9 in stages.
  
   WalrusPT
  WalrusPT is one of those teams that come to Tours focusing on one stage, and aiming to destroy the field on it. Obviously prepared for the second stage, Antão Teles and his court of great helpers will try to make the most of the mountain stage. He should be in the podium in that stage, but out of the top9 of the GC. We’ll see how he does in YC.
  
   Cremtec
  YC winner of last year, the Seychellois national champion Jude Evans is willing to repeat the feat, and likely to do it in my opinion. His manager is not that sure, fearing of top form rivals. He is also an outsider for GC, but he might be content of a top9.
  
   IndieRock
  The Italian outfit surprised with Kerwin’s podium in his first and only start of Perm Tour. He is coming this time with Patrushev, an underlooked climber that seems to have a great opportunity to show his true value. Lack of top form and unclear help might prevent him from finishing in the podium, though.
  
   Cider Riders
  Epecialised in time trials, his goals are obvious: “we would like all three of our TT riders in the top 9, with at least one finishing on the podium.” Our predictions are quite similar, but a bit more realistic: two in the top9, and maybe one in the podium.
  

   Rigana
  The unwearying DC Crawford comes with top form, but with a worrying bad streak of results. Will he be able to change his luck? If he does, he might fight for SC. His options for GC are low, so the team may have a plan B: Vischkens, who could try it on the mountains.
  
   Ocaña
  Years after relying on national product, Ocaña seems to have found a perfect balance between foreign captains and local helpers. Hartley Rich is one to watch. Not brilliant, but consistent in all terrains. Outsider with firm top9 chances in GC.
  
   nonnies
  Another team who is all in for a single stage, nonnies focuses on the parade through the streets of Perm, with the Spaniard Yocemento leading and great leadouts as Cea, Maciel, or the local Pirozhkov.
  
   Burren Connemara
  Freek van der Werff comes in top form, and has been twice second in the last couple of editions of Perm Tour. His team is strong and determined to save his leader for the crucial moments. History owes him the victory, but then again, history owes nothing to anyone. Expect him “anywhere” in the podium.
  
   ASADO Team
  100% Argentinian, ASADO Team is not bad to do bad, and not great to do great. Continuing with the Taoist comment: they are not good enough to make a top9 in a stage or classification, and not bad enough to think they will not do it.
  
   disco cycling
  Even if Belgian, disco cycling has an obvious Jamaican flavour. His captain, Will Ferrin, knows this Tour well and, in fact, this was the race that discovered him as a great rider. Now back with a project that makes him comfortable, he hopes to do well in his favourite race. A couple of top9 are possible for him.
  
   SilenceLotteFan
  Kasjan Jarosz is a sprinter, albeit a very complete one and with top form. Will he be able to be a factor on the GC, or will the team have to rely on the experienced Bagger for that task? Anyways, Jarosz is a serious contender for SC, and both first and last stages.
  
  

href="http://www.cyclingsimulator.com/?page=Teams&profile=Darkwave Recordings"> Darkwave Recordings
  The English outfit comes to Perm with a great team, yet it is complicated to predict how far they can go. Villumsen is a great candidate for stage one, but he is already 33 and not doing great because of that. Posthuma might be their man in the GC, but seems that is being used as a teammate most of the time; while the Portuguese Landim is also one to watch in the first stage.
  
   Team Albatros
  Other than Baranski in the time trial through the streets of Perm, Team Albatros might not expect to earn any money from this Tour. Decent chances for Baranski getting a top9 in the TT.
  
   NightmareChaos
  The only Russian squad of the whole Tour comes in with a good team, even if it’s been reported that Dittrich is notably tired. The manager Finz commented “ I have no idea what I am doing here.”, but I think there’s no reason to be that pessimistic. I don’t know in which stage they could be optimistic, though.
  
   Jajatazi
  Hoping to get something out the sprint stage, Jajatazi signed up Van der Plas. They also have Assunçao in the mountain stage, but it definitely seems that their best option is Lurdes, a young Spanish timetrialer that stands chances not only in the time trial stage but also on YC. His top form really makes him dangerous there.
  
   mirabelle
  Probably the best sprint outfit in the Tour, Mirabelle is the most secure bet for SC with Jan-Olof Holm, who is greatly surrounded by an enviable set of leadouts. He holds good chances in both first and last stages. Edinho has chances in the time trial; I think it’s difficult to see him outside the top nine.
  
   MonTec
  MonTec relies on his leader Seymour Gallion to win the time trial, and is indeed my bet for that stage. Other than that, this is a breakawayers’ team.
  
   minions of static
  Ploeger and Aerssen, 34 and 33, are reluctant to forget about winning a Tour, but their best days are obviously gone and only a nostalgic reviewer (that I am not) would bet on them. Matt Mundine is trying to take the Tours rely on this team, but he has few chances to succeed. Brando Noe might get a podium in the TT.
  
  Written by Holger Czukay of Asymm Project to OCM Magazine