It's time for the big boys to say something. Many hidde as much as they can, while others point themselfs as favourites. Who will come into the top? that's a mistery at this point...
  
  Felix Wenner, IGF
   How do your legs feel like?
   To be honest: totally cramped. My wife took me to the shopping mall today . I said "but honey, I have to ride in Germany in five days" but she wouldn't listen . Think I'll head to my doctor for some "vitamins" tomorrow
  
   Is the GC a too long shot for you or do you think you have what it takes?
   That will depend on the vitamins . Normally I wouldn't stand a chance but I have a really good doctor .
  
   Your team didn't participated last season. Do you think you can handle against the more experienced riders?
  Why not? jammy verbeek , my veteran teammate gives me all kinds of advice, Yesterday for instance he told me not to "mason" . If you mix food with beverages your stomach gets all upset. A lot of riders are not aware of this kind of knowledge ...
  
   How does it feel to race against names like David Pires, Jan-Joost Dussel, Adam Hyder, Joop Daems and Jesper Juhl?
   Is Dussel still racing? I thought he would be in a retirement home by now? I wonder which vitamins they use
  
   Where will you have an advantage?
   Apart from knowledge and vitamins ? I'll take my chances in the hilly stages
  
   How much effort have you put in your preparations for the Tour?
   I have spent 235 euro's in doctor visits and I spent half an hour in studying german for beginner cyclists . danke für die Blumen! wann kann ich küsse den Blumenmädchen?
  
  
  Björn Eskildsen, WV De Dommel
   How do your legs feel like?
   They are shining. Im in shape, watch me!
  
   You will be the leader while Nico-Jan Stubbe will be just a TM. Do you feel the pressure?
   Not at all I am ready for it. Stubbe is 100% support.
  
   Do you think your team will let you race for them next season if you fail?
   I will have to proof whether I can be the leader of this team. 100% sure I can be the leader. If I don't perform this edition I won't be selected as a captain for GT next year. But that's not gonna happen.
  
   Aiming at the YC or also to the GC?
   Both. The team is ready for me. Every team member will sacrifice their legs for me. I am really confident.
  
   Who is your biggest rival?
   Moura for GC and Rachlin for YC
  
   Who will win the SC?
   SC? I don't know man. What do I know about sprints? In Holland they say that I am as fast as a flat-iron. Haha, don't know if that is positive, or not.
  
  
  Jakob Rachlin, Kremer
  How do your legs feel like ?
   I am not sure. I sacrificed whole season for this tour. As you can see I scored 0 points so far. I trust my manager and I hope I'll be in best shape ever.
  
   Amazing season for your team, but looking at the line up, do you think you will keep the level high in the Tour?
   It will be hard, but I am optimist. I hope I can deliver. I owe my team a lot. They teached me a lot, and training with riders like Drimalas is really great experience.
  
   Are you afraid that if you fail you won't have a spot in the team next season?
   Yes, but it gives me more motivation to ride well. I will do everything to perform well and stay in team.
  
   What's the goal, the YC or the GC?
   I think winner of YC will be winner of GC this season. If you know what I mean.
  
  Who is your biggest threat?
   Definitely Björn Eskildsen. When we were teenagers, we were inspired by Mollerup and Drejbo to be professional cyclists. I know him from junior races and I know he is really strong in mountains.
  
  Do you think you will win the SC? If not who do you think will win it?
   I am more a climber than a sprinter. I would love to see Mollerup winning SC!
  
   And the GC?
  

One of danish riders.
  
  
  Nicholas Ryle, Matrix team
   How do your legs feel like ?
   Not that bad, but i won't be as well prepared as other captains for this Tour i fear. I raced a lot in the middle of the season, more than i should have done. Hope i won't regret it.
  
   What are youn doing in a TT Team? Do you think you will be the one to change the team?
   I know it's weird. Actually when i joined the team, i came to help Sandro for Essex. But the team helped me in finishing my training, and now i don't want just to help, but i want to race and win as captain too. Not this season maybe, but when the team will be stronger, why not.
  
   Future goals?
   Race and win, as any rider.
  
   Are you aiming to the top this season, or just getting experience?
   As said before, i'm not aiming too much now, some results in stages would be great already. Maybe more next year.
  
   We heared about a fight between you and Sandro Montelbano last week. Is that true?
   Of course not. I came hear to help him, which i (and others like Augusto, Damian and Larry) did well. He is grateful for this. Now we're riding in different races, but we both hope the other one will do better than ourself.
  
   Your team is very experineced in TTs. Do you think you will have an advantage there?
   This is my biggest advantage in my opinion. But i fear i have more weaknesses than strenghs compared to other captains, so it might just not be enough.
  
  
  Chris Bauwens, Team Crazy Downhillers
  How do your legs feel like?
   Can't seem to remember the last time i had this legs feeling this great, so I am looking forward to this.
  
   What are you doing here?
   Trying to win the GC of the tour. I have been preparing for quite some time to do it, so it must not fail.
  
   Where will you have advantage during the Tour?
   In the climbing stages, but i believe that my equipment and great form can give me the extra advantage in the time trials.
  
   Biggest rival?
   Well, there will be plenty to take care of. Right now, i will just take it stage by stage and see what will happen.
  
   Will there be a second chance to win the Germany Tour?
   I will do my best, but if I fail, i will do everything to come back and take revenge. I will be there again and again, until i win it.
  
   There has been some speculation around you due to your lack of big results. can you tell us something?
   I believe it's just words from competitors who are afraid. I always perform good at tours, and the other guys know that, so they are just trying to take away my concentration, but that won't happen. I have won tours before, and gotten plenty of podiums, and i can definetely do it again. I am far from being a novice then it comes to battleing the GC.
  
   Who will win the SC?
   I have not taken a carefull look on it, but guys like Dussel and Mollerup will of course always be some of the big favourites.
  
  
  Sebastião Moura, Greenride
   How do your legs feel like ?
   my legs feel great! I feel I am reaching topform!
  
   First time you lead the team in such an important moment. How does it feel?
   actually not my first time. I was captain in last years Germany Tour as well. I did not too good, but won the King´s Stage which was quite a bit of a make up. I finished 10th by the way, 3m38s behind Hyder. I will beat him this year, I promise.
  
   3. Who is for you he most important help inside the team?
   well, my support is massive. No other contender can tell the current world champion, plus the Volta ao Porto winner support him, haha! Godo and Gilberto are my main helpers. Aside that Damin Iacob is a brilliant downhill guide, perhaps the best in the world. Guálter is double YC winner in the Volta, he knows how to ride a tour as well. And Shuv, well, he´s also outstanding. A very loyal helper.
  
   4. Biggest rival in the GC for this Tour?

   I expect most of the young guns of Kremer and WV De Dommel. I think we are on the edge of a new era of fresh young tour winners. Maybe Tomkins comes close to winning, maybe Bauwens will make it count. I think I am obliged to show myself again in the climbs, but better than last year.
  
   5. Any predictions for the YC?
   Well, it will be a Dane, either Eskildsen or Rachlin.
  
   6. How do you comunicate with Damin Iacob and Mikhail Shuvalov?
   Shuv speaks a bit of Portuguese, Damin is a distaster, he doesn´t understand the simplest words. We mostly communicate with our hands. Even fysically if needed.
  
  
  Adam Hyder, Drapeau Noir
  How do your legs feel like ?
   Very good! Last season, I came to Germany a little tired. This time, the manager let me rest as much as I needed to be there at the top of my game and he did the same for most of my team mates.
  
   Ready to defend your title?
   150%! I went to the Top Form Centre to be prepared for the big price of the season. And I convinced my manager to buy for more than 340.000$ of equipment suited for the tour, especially for the time trial!
  
   Do you think you have what it takes considering your age?
   Of course, we have seen older riders perform this season and 2 out of the 3 top riders in the rankings are 32 years old. Lind is older than I am and he’s on a very successful streak right now.
   But the most important thing is that the difference the equipment should make will outweight any other thing. I should ride better than ever.
  
   Who are you most afraid off, the youngsters or the oldies?
   50/50. I see myself on the podium with a legend like Dussel and with a young gun like Eskildsen.
  
   Who do you think will get your throne one day?
   The 3 R, Ronis, Rachlin and Ryle. And, above all, Eskildsen.
  
   Your team is very successful despite many opinions inside the community. What's the secret?
   Our manager doesn’t know all the secrets that most of the top teams share between them so he has to invent new ways of doing things, like training an old lad like myself, something that absolutely no one else would have done. But I feel his head is not as much into the game as it once was and I hope our team won’t pay the price for this.
  
   Future plans?
   Either I do a good GT and I’m coming back as a captain next season or I’ll get fired soon. It’s "do or die" for me!
  
  
  Evan Tomkins, Gradient Levellers
  How do your legs feel?
   650 points in the last 30 days speaks for itself. Coming in to the form of my life. This tour could define my season and career. I know people will accuse me of over cofidence but I honestly feel I can win in Germany. Let's just hope there won't be any repeates of two years ago when I crashed from 2nd place.
  
   With the lack of climbing abilities you have, do you think you can handle the climbs?
   I'm not going to lie to you - the climbs are going to be my biggest test and all my pre-tour preparation hab been focused on this. I came 4th on Stage 6 two years ago and I'd be happy with that again.
  
   Where will you win time to win the Tour?
   On every stage! I don't expect to take many wins but I feel confident I won't have many finishes outside the top 9. Consistency is the key in tours.
  
   Who is your biggest threat, and who do you think is going to fail?
   I think Rachlin is a talented young climber and he'll be one to watch. You've also got to look at Bauwens who has tour pedigree. Hyder and Moura are hotly tipped here but I don't think one of them will win.
  
   Who will win the SC?
   It'll be closer this year than ever. Dussel will be up there, but I think Ugolnikov looked really strong in Helsinki on Monday. I think EEO's Souvanho could be the surprise of the tour.
  
   Afraid of the TT?
   Not really. I usually place well in Tour TTs.
  
  
  [updated]
  
  
   Written by Chief Editor Yuri from Yuri SuperTeam to OCMagazine