Written by Michael of English Sprinting Team
  
  
  
  The General Classification will be well fought in this division two Grand Tour, and the following teams are waiting for an opportunity to grab this jersey:
  
   THE DUTCHIES signed up first with Sten Hållkvist as captain. He will pose a big threat being a climbing time trial rider. If he can do well in the three time trials in this tour, then he will have a good chance at finishing high in the classification.
  
   Penendal Racing was next to sign up and bringing their captain Reinier van der Sar to this tour. He is a 203 points climber, but do not let that fool you, he is an average 55 rider with 164 points in time trial ability and certainly another big contender.
  
   Rotational Symmetry was the number three to sign up and he also poses a big threat in this classification. They bring their young captain Brett Graham to this tour. He won the Porto GP, a climbing race right before this tour. Will the young Aussie step up again? Only time will tell.
  
   Rabo utrecht CT singed up with their Spanish captain Jesus Velazquez. Another contender for this classification, but not the strongest. Will he be the surprise rider in this tour?
  
   California Mist brings Nick Boisen, the only non-American in this team. He is been time trial centered and he has the look of one of the famous The Doomsday Bunnies tour riders. Will he be able to compete in this big field of contenders?
  
   SilenceLotteFan enters with Maruyama Dai two times General and Youth Classification winner. He will not be in top form though and with the competition he might find it a bit harder this time around.
  
   Team Kernow enters with their new captain Arnold Tollefsen, who is a 223 point climber. They paid a lot of money for this guy, so the manager will want to see

a good result here.
  
   VC Botafogo enters with the highest average rider in the race Tom Bella. He has got great tour credentials, so he has a good chance here as well. Some would say there is too much competition here already and this rider has a bad tour history but, everytime he enters a tour he gets closer to his first victory.
  
   Velo Kiwi has entered with thirty two year old Angus Whitlock, who is another rider with tour rider stats. Another rider with an outline chance at doing well here.
  
   Telstra have Steve Brasher as captain. He is a young Goddard Scothern for sure, but will he be able to follow in the footsteps of the now thirty six year old?
  
   WalrusPT bring last year's runner up in the Youth Classification Vergílio Nandigna as captain. He will be in top form, and he will have a lot of support as well. Will he be able to beat the rest into first place?
  
   Ponika will be looking to do well with Vid Lazic. He got seventh last season and is currently seventh in the OCM Points Ranking. No one should underestimate this rider at all.
  
   Team Crazy Downhillers bring last year's winner Joppe Marant to this tour again, with the intention of winning. It might not be so easy to do it this time though, but he already has experience with close encounters.
  
  Last but not least in this category is team peddelen. They enter with Alfonso Melazzo, who has got 217 climbing points and 67 points in time trial. Will he be the one to win this prestigious tour?
  
  
  
  There are five teams in total that will fight it out for the Sprinting Classification:
  We will start with mikai, a team which has Jan-Peter Werff, who is the eighteenth best rider in the OCM. He supported by a

good five man lead out squad, but one of them is injured. Will this stop them from winning?
  
   Wizzyweb and their captain Jose Aguilar is the next competitor. He is a good all round sprinter, who will have an alright lead out. He won’t be in top form, but he will be looking to pick up a decent amount of points and money.
  
   Rigana bring their home boy Culvert Roberts in top form. He is a good sprinter and he is in great shape. He has got four lead outs and a water bottle carrier rider to help him out. He will be looking to get top three in the sprinting stages for sure.
  
  Next on the list is Luveaucek who brings the two times youth winner and holder of the general classification at the most prestigious sprinting tour in OCM, its Rudolf Matejka. He won’t be in top form, but never the less, he should do well here.
  
   nonnies is the last one for this jersey and he brings Matias Salto as captain for the sprints. His team will do well in the time trials, but I am sure aarin will want his sprinting captain to show what he is made off.
  
  
  
  The four main contenders for the Youth Classification are:
  Brett Graham riding for Rotational Symmetry, Maruyama Dai riding for SilenceLotteFan, Joppe Marant riding for Team Crazy Downhillers and Vergílio Nandigna riding for WalrusPT.
  They all have a great chance at winning the jersey. At the end they might be within one minute of each other!
  
  The Timetrial teams:
  THE DUTCHIES bring three time trial riders with them. They all look in good condition for this tour.
  
   Cider Riders brings their three time trial riders as well. Gervaso Samper might be in top form. Is that enough to take command in these stages? And to wrap it up, nonnies brings four time trial riders with them. There is certainly more competition this season!
  
  Thanks for reading!