Written by Finz of NightmareChaos
The riders have reached the East coast of Spain for the Castillos venue. Some teams joined with a climbing team and others only want to win the sprints. This will give a great spectacle with riders in top form and some youngsters eager to promote themselves. Drapeau Noir and Team Unibet are to be watched for the General Classification. Yuri Super Team will battle with Nairobi City Cycling Club to get the Sprinters Classification and, Red Star will battle Team Crazy Downhillers for the Youth Classification.
EricV
Wtih Jakob Rachlin in topform, EricV is a team to follow. Jakob Rachlin already won Germany Tour when he was just twenty-three. Castillos would be a piece of cake at the age of twenty-eight. If the team works for Jakob we can see him on the highest step of the podium in the end.
Die Tour Phantome
Competition for Jakob Rachlin comes in the form of American Mason Mulligan, who is keen to do good in Spain. He received his green fairy badge just in time and is geared up for the mountains. Will his experience outsmart the younger rider then he could beat him. A nice result in a climbing is stage will secure a top nine Generall Classification result however.
Team Tirilla
Danish number one of the world is risking his top spot while entering this tour. With Conrado Horta signed up as captain he also has Otto Beier in his team. Will these two riders steal points from each other or can they work together to win the Sprinters Jersey. We fear this tactic will backfire.
Team Oasis
Meine Witting is captain of Iranian based Team Oasis. This team of climbers will have to do their best to score some points in the stages uphill. There is no real strategy other then, stay up front as long as possible. We will see that in the results they will ride.
Yuri SuperTeam
Tadaki Ko wants the number one spot back. He will race the flat stages with one goal, win as many as possible. Sprinters Jersey for this team is inevitable but it is not the main goal. Tadaki Ko on the first spot of OCM Tour Ranking. Great rider with many victories to come as he is still twenty-nine years old.
Red Star
From Norway we have Red Star who trusts in Drazen Cetnik. A former World Champion and doing good in the Swiss classic Zurich-Bern-Zurich, he will want to win a jersey finally. The Youth Classification is an easy target and he should really go for it. If he prepared himself better he could win the General Classification even. A top nine in the General | | Classification and a second place in the Youth Classification.
SierraEspadán
The lonely home rider is SierraEspadán. With a one nation team he will surely steal the hearts of the spectators. And with Casimiro Calvo as captain he can win a stage in the mountains. This rider is only twenty-three and has a bright future ahead. We might even see the future winner of the Vuelta de los Castillos riding today battling for the Youth Classification.
Team Unibet
Swedish Team Unibet is having Ola Skar in top form. A great rider that can do good in the mountains. He failed in last season's Germany Tour but team manager Michel Lafis blamed it on inexperience. Ola still lacks some experience but he is older now and should be able to do better then fifth. Maybe next year he can battle for the top spot.
Jonas Pro Cycling
The Danes are coming. With Edward Van Baerlem they have an experienced sprinter in their team and they probably play him as captain. His age will prevent a good Sprinters Classification but a result is within his grasps.
peddelen
Will Fergus Harrold be able to deliver the one Castillos jersey that is not hanging in the office of pete. He has top form and this should be his year. With the help of a former Youth Classification winner and four decent climber he should be able to do good in the stages that matter. There is doubt that Fergus Harrold can win such a tough tour.
Team Celeste
Team Celeste is our second Swedish team and they have in Klemens Sundkvist a Swedish climber that should bring them points in the climbing stages. The can secure a top nine place in the General Classification if he does not loose much in the time trial stages.
Team Crazy Downhillers
Can Joppe Marant give Team Crazy Downhillers another result in a Grand Tour. That is the question the Danes are asking themselves these days. Joppe Marant is a great Belgian rider and will probably win a stage in the Vuelta. And another result in the General Classification should be possible. Maybe sixth or seventh.
Team Revolutie
Dutch outfit Team Revolutie signed up with a team that wants to be good in the flat stages and win the Sprinters Classification. Arie Veldkamp is just not good enough. Even with the help of Rytis Kondrotas this team will not be able to woo the fans and a team make over is at
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YCO
North America is represented by YCO. With Natan Zurawski they have a Polish climber that can surprise in the stages in the mountains. A great climber with a more then decent team should be able to score some points and money. He lacks the topform to really do great but when he can find his rythm he can score a top nine result in the General Classification.
Nairobi City Cycling Club
With Venezuelan rider Fabio Sosa, Nairobi City Cycling Club is going for the Sprinters Classification. He brings a good lead out team and we can witness some results and stage wins for this rider. Will this be the rider to give the Danish team his second Sprinting Classification jersey. He will finish high up the ranks that is for sure.
The Killers
The Killers have Ernst van Damme in top form at the start. They will go for a stage win in one of the flat stages. He will not be able to play a big role in the Sprinters Classification but he might do good in one stage and will be happy if he can score a result and overwhelmed with joy if he can surprise the others if he wins a stage.
Scorpions POPRAD
Slovakian Scoprions POPRAD is having a mixed team with Slovak and Czech riders and will give Otto Landa the role of captain. He will be able to score some nice results in the flat stages. He will not play a real role for the Sprinters Classification though in the end.
NECFTW
NECFTW is not in a winning mood lately. With Aubrey Welling they want to change the mood from losing to winning. But with a failure on top form and with a bad morale as their main sponsor is also on a losing streak, we fear that NEC can only win when they are relegated to a lower level.
Drapeau Noir
The black flag is raised high and mighty. Will Melvyn Jegou shine again and give some sparkles in this silent period for Delion. The youngster seems to be in training for the other great tour and this time it is possible for Garami Gedeon to shine in the sprints. Yes Gedeon is a downhiller but, Drapeau Noir can give his riders that extra to do great in every stage.
Rotational Symmetry
Last team to enter is Rotational Symmetry and they rely on Arnold Latey. The Canadian will probably fail on staying up front when the mountains really are rising but, he could be in a breakaway and with his climbing skills he can stay upfront to get enough seconds to stay in touch of the big boys.
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